#113~En Schweiz…Hallenbad Allmend

After Le Grande Tour (#110, #111, #112~Le Grande Tour) it was time to get a little rest and relaxation of sorts on our European adventure.  Shannon (formerly Lady Shannon) and I continued on for a few days of leisure in Switzerland.

We headed for Interlaken in the foothills of the Alps for a night and then day trip to Mürren a high mountain village 5,374 meters above sea level not reachable by a public road. Expecting to see the tallest mountains in Europe we were stymied mostly by a bank of fog.

Oddly enough, there is a beautiful sports complex with a 25 meter pool in this quaint Swiss village.  Speedo and goggles were in hand unfortunately the pool was closed for swimming lessons.  I will be back to Sportzentrum Mürren to hit this pool one day!

We were then off to Luzern for a couple days where we (I mean “I”) hoped to find a pristine Swiss pool.  Luzern is a beautiful town set on the shores of Lake Luzern.  We enjoyed a fun day sightseeing before I needed to get wet.

With a bit of web surfing I found a pool a short metro ride from our hotel.  Hallenbad Allmend is a pristine pool and athletic complex with amazing views of Mt. Pilatus.

Like Amsterdam earlier this year it was a common individual changing rooms before you move towards to the pool.  The signage this time made it a little more self evident as to the direction of the pool.

When I finally made my way to the pool area I was treated to a wall of glass windows looking towards the Alps.

It was an open and spacious 25 meter pool with a separate diving well, a kids slide and massive warm therapeutic family type pool.  I was one of the first people on deck and the lanes filled up pretty quickly.  I put in a leisurely 2,000 meters and got out as it was getting crowded.

I walked around the pool deck to check out the rest of the facility and snap a few pics to memorialize this new pool.  It was then that I got in trouble with the lifeguard.  My picture looking out towards the mountains was ok but the not the picture of the pool and people swimming. For privacy reasons she asked me to delete the last picture.  I did as she requested.  What she didn’t know was that this wasn’t my first rodeo.  I had already discretely taken several photos before.  I had learned from experience. This privacy thing has happened a few times. History has shown that taking pic of an outdoor pool seems a bit easier than indoor pool complex.

I changed quickly and got out of there lest some efficient Swiss pool attendant asked me to show him my iPhone.

We were then off to sample more Swiss chocolate, fondue and wine.

Before I’m an old goat I’m going to swim more in Switzerland. There seems to be some very nice indoor and outdoor pools.

(Old goat in Gimmelwald)