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The Rigi in Switzerland
I am in Switzerland this week visiting my aunt and uncle, the last of my father's generation. For the last two days we have been staying at their apartment on the Rigi mountain. For those not familiar with it, the Rigi, called "Queen of the Mountains," is an 1800 meter mountain which sits just east of the Lake of Lucerne, at the northern edge of the Swiss Alps. It has been a tourist attraction for 200 years and is famous for, among other things, it's easy access, cog railway, magnificent views of the Alps and the Swiss countryside, and great hiking. Hiking Swiss-style is a real treat - beautiful, open, well-maintained paths with sign-posts indicating distance and walking time, and little mountain restaurants and hotels along the way. You're never more than an hour away from a beer and a sausage.
Forgive a long-widened personal story: the Rigi is not just a tourist attraction for me, but a nostalgia trip. My great grandfather started a hotel and restaurant business in the 19th century which peaked with hotels on the Rigi, in the village of Vitznau on the Lake of Lucerne, in St Moritz, and the Bahnhofbuffet, a restaurant complex in the Zurich main train station. His first hotel, long gone now, was at the Rigi First, a side peak at about 1400 meters elevation. He also built a path called the Felsenweg as a scenic walk to the hotel, which runs along the edge of the mountain from the hotel towards the nearest railway station in Kaltbad. His name is still on a plaque on the side of the path, as well as my grandfather's name on a bench. He also later built the Park Hotel, in the village of Vitznau at the foot of the Rigi. My grandfather ran this hotel for some years, and my father was born there and grew up in Vitznau. When he passed about 17 years ago, I traveled here to spread his ashes on the Rigi. If you ever travel to Switzerland and have not been to the Rigi, I highly recommend it.
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Tony D'Agostino Momentum S250 MxV & HD pre; Linn Klimax Organik DSM, SonicTransporter, EtherRegen; Acoustic Signature Typhoon Neo, Koetsu RSP, Boulder 1108; Sf Il Cremonese; Shunyata Everest, Altaira, Sigma & Alpha v2 |
#2
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Fantastic, touching story and thank you for sharing it! Your photos make me want to hop on a plane! Beautiful.
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server, Clearaudio Performance SE. Satisfy tonearm & Maestro Wood MM cartridge. Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other:Two PSI Audio AVAA C20, Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#3
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Very cool to be able to visit your ancestral home. Some of the pictures remind me of the hiking trails near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
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#4
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Beautiful story, beautiful adventure. Incredible what the old continent has to offer
Thank you for sharing
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AJ McIntosh C2300 Pre, MC452 Amp - Esoteric K-01X - JL e112 Subwoofer - Martin Logan Motion 60XT Speakers - SONOS Connect - W4S Remedy - IFI iPower9 |
#5
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Tony.......Thank you for sharing this historical story with us and the photos. It is clear you have a great love for this place.
Be well in your travels.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
#6
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Tony,
I was at the Rigi 2 years ago. Fabulous place. Thanks for sharing.
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There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats Albert Schweitzer |
#7
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Fantastic story and travel tip Tony!
Thank you for sharing.
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#8
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Thanks guys. Having a great time, flying home tomorrow.
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Tony D'Agostino Momentum S250 MxV & HD pre; Linn Klimax Organik DSM, SonicTransporter, EtherRegen; Acoustic Signature Typhoon Neo, Koetsu RSP, Boulder 1108; Sf Il Cremonese; Shunyata Everest, Altaira, Sigma & Alpha v2 |
#9
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Nice photos, I love Switzerland!
Here's a climbing photo from the summit of the Monch (Monk) from my last trip to Grindelwald. Ken |
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