After checking out the owls, we took a steamship ride across the lake, rode a funicular up the slope, and then hiked over to the Rütli, the meadow that was the birthplace of the Swiss nation.
Gallery: July 4 — Treib to Rütli
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The steamers' engines are viewable from the deck. All the middle-aged guys like to stand around and admire them. They are pretty awesome to see: shiny and powerful. Look, at the upper right, how neatly the tools are arranged.
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Chuff chuff
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Here's a view down into the depths.
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Two planes.
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Five planes.
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A wicked cliff above the road between Gersau and Brunnen. Note that the road below is covered, for good reason.
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We alighted at Treib to take the small funicular railroad up to Seelisberg. This is a poster hanging in the funicular tunnel. It's an unbelievable composition that makes me want to be a graphic designer every time I look at it.
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The Seelisberg station, which the foregoing tunnel segues into.
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A disembodied onion dome nearby.
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The Mythen, a famous pair of mountains visible throughout the area.
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The roof structure of a little shelter by the hiking trail; you can see how the tiles are hooked onto the strapping to stay in place.
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Rütlivogel, a tame and social one, probably used to all the touri.
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There was a nice Swiss couple (or possibly German) and the guy took our picture.
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THE Swiss flag.
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Rütlizmittagplatz.
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Thence we hiked down to the nearby ferry station.
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Clouds gathered. They really were that orangey color.
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It looked almost volcanic at this point.
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Especially here.
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Here's a great example of shutters and trim with that radial-squiggular motif.