2001.03.31. Today's destination was Mount Titlis.
We took the train from Lucerne to Engelberg, then kept changing cable cars until we reached the snow at around 3,000 metres. It sounds like a standard Swiss sightseeing route, but for us back then the point was simple: you could suddenly throw yourself onto a snow mountain without hiking for five hours like climbing Yushan. Of course, once we were up there, with the cold air and my wife struggling to breathe, we learned that "reaching the summit by cable car" was not completely effortless either @.@'"
From Lucerne to Engelberg
We left Lucerne early in the morning. The train rolled toward Engelberg through Swiss valleys, villages, and green slopes. Just sitting there and watching the scenery outside already felt like a proper trip.
The train ride took about an hour and a half to reach Engelberg...
AI-added context: Engelberg Abbey (Kloster Engelberg), the Benedictine monastery in the valley, was founded in 1120. The monastery's official site describes it as closely tied to local stability, education, and development. This is background context, not the author's own memory from 2001. Source: Kloster Engelberg official site.
Outside the station there were sightseeing horse carriages that could take you around town. But we were not here for a carriage ride today...so we just borrowed one from its owner for a quick photo ^.^
Up by three cable-car stages
Mount Titlis stands 3,239 metres high, but getting to the top did not require a five-hour hike like Yushan...three cable-car stages and we were there in no time ^.^
As I remember it, back in 2001 you could buy a day-trip package at Lucerne station that covered the train, the three cable-car stages, and admission. That was our experience at the time; anyone planning the trip now should check the latest official ticket and route information.
The final leg was the world's first rotating mountain cable car, able to carry 80 passengers.
Before reaching the summit it made a full 360-degree turn, so everyone got to take in the view from every angle...
AI-added context: The "world's first rotating mountain cable car" mentioned here is the TITLIS Rotair. TITLIS Cableways' official history says the Rotair opened on 20 December 1992 as the world's first rotating aerial cableway. Source: TITLIS Cableways official history.
Standing in a world of snow at 3,000 metres
The thing is, after shooting up to a summit over 3,000 metres so suddenly...my wife stepped out of the cable-car station, walked only a few steps, and already felt short of breath @.@'"
We quickly bought hot chocolate and something to eat so she could sit down and rest...
Luckily, your uncle here keeps in shape...the mountain was cold and the air was thin...but..none of that could put out the fire in my heart ^.^
The ski slopes, and heading back down
Mount Titlis is snow-capped year-round and is a ski destination...it's a shame it did not occur to me back then that even if you cannot ski, you can still try a snowboard...looking back, that really is a regret...
Then again, it really was cold up there...if you're not skiing...an hour or two is about all you can take...
Back down from the mountain, we took a few more street snapshots around Engelberg. That was pretty much the Titlis day: train, borrowing a carriage for a photo, three cable cars, hot chocolate, snowfields, and then heading down with the small regret that I should have tried snowboarding after all...
Related reading:
Switzerland Travel Diary: Lucerne (Luzern)
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