Lugano.

10 November 2007. Leaving Zürich isn't too hard when it is wet and snowing at seven in the morning. David and I wrap up some banana bread and yogurt and take off. We are determined to understand where we are. How big is Switzerland? What do the mountains look like?

David has found a great hostel for us in Lugano. We hop on an S-bahn from Oerlikon station and are at the Hauptbahnhof in minutes. We have just enough time to grab a Brezel and catch the next train.

Two british women about 24 years old are in the car with us. We hear their dramas of boyfriends in London and jealousy and mistaken triplet pregnancies. A British accent forgives a lot and I find their lives quite civilised.

Seasons change through the window. The drizzling wet snow of Zürich falls more slowly as we enter the Alps. Trees are proud in their new coats. This is deep snow! Everyone in the car dozes off except the one Swiss guy in the middle seat who continues to read the paper.

Sunshine greets us in Lugano. The Cascades give way to sunny Eastern Washington just as the Alps to Southern Switzerland. Lugano is across the lake from Italy and incorporates its delicious cuisine and style. Ferrari. Gucci. And good cheap food from stands in the pedestrian only street. From the Swiss they have plentiful, timely transit. Trains. Watches.

Our agenda includes eating pizza. We add Mount Bré by funicular to the list soon after arriving. This mountain flanks the valley and lake. The view is fantastic and so is the pizza. We order thrice at two meals during our brief overnight stay.

Maroni Index. CHF2.40.