Switzerland - Lugano, Mendisrio, Erstfeld

Our plan has started to collapse since yesterday due to the raining. And from the weather forecast, it seems to continue for at least a few days so our plan to visit Jungfrau region in this couple days has been postponed. We decide to visit the Ticino area, especially Lugano or to be more specific “Fox town outlet” in Mendisrio instead. So we start to cancel the hotel (luckily without any penalty fee) and call Oh's friend, Sao, in Erstfeld whether it would be o.k to visit her during the week instead of the weekend as plan earlier.


Therefore, we take a train pass through Luzern, stop at Erstfeld to drop our luggage at the train station before heading further to Lugano.



This route is one of the scenic routes in Switzerland going through the steep ravines of the valley and passing through many railway tunnel. Although we didn't take the Whilhelm Tell Express line which also has the same route, our train is also the panoramic one.



However, due to the heavy rain, we again decide to bypass the exploration of Lugano, having only lunch at the nearest train station restaurant.



View of Lugano across the train station.

After that we take a train to to Mendisrio to Shop at Fox Town Outlet which I once visited 8 years before. At that time the mall was small and not many attractive shops were opened. However, unlike the past, now there are many new brand name shops available: Gucci, Bally, Armani, etc. so the 2 hour flies so fast that we almost want to be there until
it closes. Nevertheless, I am not so in the mood to shop since there has been some red spot on my arm for the past few days and it is getting worse with itchy. So I have to call my brother, send the picture to find out what it is. He said it is either the herpes simplex (เริม) or herpes zoster (งูสวัด), but I need a prescription to buy the medicine. Yakky!!!

To top that day we take a wrong train back to Erstfeld. It passes Erstfeld but not stop at it. So we have to get off at the next train station and take a train back to Erstfeld. Lesson learns that 1. though the line passes through the town, not all trains stop at it. And 2. even that you are at the right track, but make sure to board at exactly the stated time, not 5-8 minutes earlier. 555 Anyway, we finally arrive at Sao's house, though a bit late.