The boss (wife) and I had an exciting visit to the beautiful country of Switzerland as I pursue my interests as the International Ambassador of Football. This visit took us through the breathtaking views found throughout the country.
As I attended a player football camp at Lucerne sponsored by “The Growth of a Game” and the National football camp held for the Senior, Junior and Flag football teams in Willisau my boss (wife) and I were able to visit several cities.
We landed in Milan (that is Italy by the way) on a rainy Thursday around noon and after a quick trip north into Switzerland we stayed in the Federale Hotel in Lugano. Although it sounds like the hotel could be in the American southwest it is located on the edge of the historical old part of the city of Lugano.
.Although it would only be a brief visit to the picturesque Lugano it is one of my favorite places in Switzerland. I am acquainted with it through my friends the Volpi family along with others including Fulgenzio Jorio.
It was unfortunate that the boss (wife) did not get to explore this lakeside city in the Italian speaking canton of Ticino. But, I know at some time we will be back there again.
(Lugano is located in the southern part of Switzerland in the predominantly Italian speaking speaking canton of Ticino).
We had a quick dinner and visit with our friends – hit the sack and then hopped aboard the train to Lucerne the next morning.
Now, the trains in Switzerland are fantastic. The rail system is one of the most interesting and efficient modes of transportation you will ever find.
The design allows you to travel pretty much anywhere in the country very quickly. It includes some awesome tunnels and fantastic views.
Every major city and also the towns along the way have stops. Obviously the major cities have very large stations with hundreds of connections. Also at every major station and most minor stops the connection to public transportation – busses, trams and cabs (sometimes boats or airports) is right there within walking distance.
Unlike here in the US…..everything runs on time! No exaggeration! They are “on time” not like the “on time” our airlines advertise (regarding the time of a trip, not the actual guarantee on the landing). The Swiss have it right….when they say a train is going to leave at 10:07 it does….when they say it will drive at 13:34 (Swiss time) it does! A modern marvel.
I was scheduled to be in Lucerne to meet up with the head of “The Growth of A Game” Travis Brody. We were going to conduct a “skills” football camp for some 120-150 athletes from throughout the country. (Interestingly enough this would be my first chance to actually help train members of a women’s team – the Calanda Broncos!)
To say the train trip, which is three and a quarter hours, is pretty is an understatement. It is truly something worth the visit to Switzerland in itself. I was looking forward to having the boss (wife) see the views as we sped along in the train.
Given the amazing scenery the trip really speeds by. 
you leave Lugano you travel thru parts of Ticino that border Italy. You then enter a tunnel and are under the mountains for about a half hour or so. (Apparently the trains can achieve speeds of about 160 miles per hour – but, I am guessing as you go beneath the Alps you aren’t going that fast.)
This tunnel – The Gotthard Base Tunnel is one of the longest rail tunnels in the world and a monument to the ingenuity of the Swiss engineers and architects. It covers almost 35 1/2 miles underground.
Anyway you enter on one side of the Alps in the canton of Ticino and pop out on the other side next to this beautiful watershed. You speed around the water and head towards our final destination on this leg of the trip – Lucerne.
