SwissMissMeg

May has brought gorgeous weather to Lugano. Mol and I have enjoyed many evenings on the porch, watching the light fade over the mountains and the bats come out to fly.

In early May, I took an overnight trip to St. Gallen, a city in the northeast region of Switzerland. My friend Amy had told me of a beautiful monastic library there. I had read about the surrounding region, known as Appenzellerland, and wanted to see it for myself.

On a Friday afternoon, I caught the train north and transferred at Arth-Goldau. The ride was easy, as is so often the case when traveling by Swiss rail, and I watched pristine lakes and alpine valleys alike roll by. The train seemed to glide across a stunningly placid lake, floating just above the water’s surface.

In a few short hours, I arrived at Bahnhof St. Gallen. Most Swiss railway stations are located centrally within the city center, as the municipalities encourage both public transport and tourism. I can think of more than a few US cities that could take note.

As I made my way towards the Hotel Vadian, I realized that a street festival was clearly underway. Inquiring at the front desk, I was told it was an open air music festival including street performers, dancing, and magic shows. Incredible luck! The annual festival is known as Aufgetischt (which translates to “served up” in German).

Dropping my bag, I went out to explore. Food trucks rimmed the square just around the corner. From pastel nada to momos, a huge variety of food was on offer. Trading cash for tokens, I enjoyed a cider while taking in a guitar/violin pairing who reminded me of Nickel Creek. To encourage recycling, every drink comes with a 2 CHF deposit fee, reimbursed when the bottle is returned.

As dusk fell, the sky turned a rich electric blue and the townspeople came out to party. Music and dancing went late into the night and it was so much fun to be a part of it.

In the morning, I set off early for a morning swim. Open to the public, Volksbad is the oldest indoor pool in Switzerland, built in 1906. Before houses had their own bathrooms (meaning a literal bathing room), Volksbad was commissioned inside a stately townhouse in the style of a Roman bath. There was nothing remotely stately about the 20 or so of us flailing around in the fairly small pool (someone even brought flippers and a snorkel) but I really enjoyed the experience, reminiscent of of a Russian banya – statues and all.

Following my swim, I made my way to the Stiftsbibliothek, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dating back to the Carolingian Era (8th century), the library is the oldest in Switzerland and absolutely stunning in its physical beauty. As you enter, a guide provides each guest with an oversized pair of slipper clogs, adding to the Swiss-German appeal and transforming you into an elfen-like creature, shuffling about the place. Polished wood and fresco cover every surface of the ornate two-story space. More reminiscent of Baroque or Rococo to me, overflowing bookshelves line every wall in this book lover’s paradise.

After wandering the vaulted cellar museum of the St. Gall Abbey, I did a little shopping and took a break for lunch. Thoroughly enjoying the diversity of food on offer, I found a sidewalk spot at Tibet Corner – highly recommended.

After lunch, I made my way back to the train station, as I had a ticket to Appenzell, a town nestled among the rolling hills outside St. Gallen. Known for its delicious cheese and chocolate, Appenzell is extremely unassuming upon arrival at the one-track train station. A short five-minute walk into town reveals a bustling (at least on a Saturday), lively downtown, full of restaurants spilling out into the town’s square.

From across the square, the Appenzell Museum beckoned. I got lost for over an hour inside, wandering the stunning alpine buildings connected by winding passageways.

The impressive collection of local crafts, particularly wooden furniture painting, embroidery, and metalwork, harken back to a time in the not-so-distant past when delicate care and effort was put into the creation of everyday objects used by everyday people. Local forests cleared to make way for housing in the region played a large part in the extensive woodworking tradition.

Before long, it was time to catch my train. Following a sun-kissed ride back to Lugano, I enjoyed dinner on the lake in Morcote with friends. Summer in Lugano is gorgeous and it was wonderful to kick off the season together.