Friday the 13th is considered lucky in Italy but I think we brought some of our Canadian juju because yesterday a drive that should have taken us five hours from Arona Italy to Bülach Switzerland took us over eight.
But when you think of mindful moments you have to reflect on the elements that made the trip memorable and there were many. The scenic drive was intoxicating. Yes the traffic when we lost our GPS and got stuck in massive traffic in Zurich was horrible but when I turned on my TELUS cell because my Italian one wouldn‘t work here led us out of traffic and into the peaceful hills of Switzerland. And if you have never been here then I have to tell you it is the cleanest country I’ve ever been in which enhances your scenic experience.
To travel from Italy to Zurich you have to travel through a couple of different tunnels. The San Gottardo or San Bernadino Tunnel. The direction we travelled into Switzerland meant we took the San Gottardo. This road tunnel is 16.9 km long and is a major pass through the Alps. It took 17 years to build it and opened to car traffic in September of 1980. An accident by two trucks in 2001 killed eleven people and injured many more due to the toxic gases. After it was closed for two months, it opened with safety protocols that ensure only 150 cars are in the tunnel at one time every hour. That is why you see a massive truck line when you enter.
It was beautiful to see the countryside coming from Italy into Switzerland, but more impressive to see the Alps and traveling through them up close. Therefore I thought I'd share these pictures and a video of what the tunnel looks like.
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