A piece of the Swiss tomato- Day 19
I got up early for our trip to Lugano, a very Italian area in Switzerland. This the last tour from the students and it was Katehrine’s turn (Tour Guide of the day) and I was routing for her from day 1. the planning of the tour went through some changes yet she made it happen. We took the public bus from Passugg down to the town area to catch a bus to Bellizona at 8:10am. It was a the first bus drive to our destination yet was hindered by the weather. The rain was coming down very sporadically and helped cast a thick fog all over the valleys we passed.
Once at Bellinzona, we had to run for the train (like New Yorkers) to catch it as there would have been a longer wait for the next one. Fortunately we all made the train and clapped ourselves for making it on very tight time. The train took over 20 minutes, but once we reached, it felt like a different part of Swiss culture, the Italian version.
The rain was coming down pretty hard so anyone with a poncho or umbrella was putting them to use. We reached the hotel using a bus, but it dropped us less than half way to the hotel. We walked in the rain and reached the Grand Hotel Eden dripping with water and annoyance at the weather. Once inside the hotel, we were able to store our wet bags and be greeted by Mr. Maurizio Lieto, Assistant Hotel Manager.
I was already impressed with the hotel with it’s animal theme that ran throughout the hotel lobby. We took the elevator up to the suites. The hotel itself has 115 rooms and 14 suites. the first suite we saw caught me by surprise. The look of Italian luxury was all over the room with the furniture and style of the room. The bed looked very comfy and the view from the standard room was of the mountains. I was impressed by the glamour, even in the bathroom, the luxury continued with a wide bathtub and plenty of amenities(not for me but available) and robes and towels.
Mr. Lieto told us that there was the original building on the first site across the street, and there was a tunnel that leads to the adjacent building. In the earlier days of the hotel, it was used for shops for the guests. Present day, it still offers the gifts and products recommended to the guests. with only window displays.
We took the elevator up to the suites which were present only in the original building. We saw several suites in different setups plus terrace views of the lake. Despite the rainy weather, we could imagine the great view of the city captured through the summer days. One of the suites had a dry bar in the cabinets and all of the bathrooms had a phone near the toilet.
We went back up stairs to look at the gym and saw the lake view from the machines the customers use. The next area for inspection was the Eden spa. We had to place the blue shower caps on our feet again, then squeeze in a small elevator – I’m sure was made for only couples. Once inside, the pool looked like a blue grotto plus jacuzzi in the far right corner, a hideaway for the customers. They offered massages to guests in rooms behind the pool and elevator.
We moved towards a spiral stair case that led into the next building (the dining and bar area). We kept moving back to the hotel passing by a live business meeting in a conference room. They had a dining room with a great view of the lake and exposed the sushi bar on the bank of the lake. Mr. Lieto pointed out a guest in his yacht which looked anchored because of the weather. It became time for us to go and endure the weather, but not before expressing our gratitude and enthusiasm for the hotel.
We walked back to the bus stop and took a pictures of us getting wet, but enjoying each other’s company. We climbed back on and it led straight to the rail station. Katherine checked the time for the next train as we were early leaving the hotel. It was coming in more than a half hour so we had chance to eat lunch a the rail station. Elliot snapped some pictures of us eating lunch before the train came and swept us back to Bellinzona. We reached the train earlier than our itinerary planned for so we had a chance to do a little shopping in the southern region of Switzerland. It had such an Italian look with shops selling floral house dresses for women. I know about these house dresses because my mother and my aunts are from Jamaica and they all have worn them for the warm weather.
Sarah, Elliot, Katherine, Shevy, and Lilliana, and I walked along the street and saw the sale, then was saw a store that had a sale. I bought a Suisse tank shirt for 19.95 CHF and love it. We haaded back to the station with just enough time to reach the bus. It wasn’t there yet but we wanted to get some items from the rail station and Sarah came with me. I bought a bottle opener beer magnet.
Katherine met us halfway to the bus and we clambered inside to see everyone seated in the back. I took a seat near Katherine and we talked about our family. She told me about cousins she has never seen and I felt the same with my family. I said that with this trip I see the benefit of traveling more often. I’m more determined to at least travel twice a year.
I took a nap while listening to my ipod then noticed that the bus was taking the local route. I saw the change in scenery with the sun out bringing summer heat and winds. The neighborhoods had aged wooden cottages. Soon we reached the school and had dinner at 6:30pm with the other students. I was starting the packing process slowly but surely. I then went to bed feeling slightly excited about going home soon.
