Zug
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• It was tourism, not business deals, that brought us to Zug. This town may look like a provincial backwater but it is home to mega-corporations because of its low taxes. Zug, the city, is the capital of Zug, the smallest Swiss canton. It joined the Swiss Federation in 1352, about 50 years after the Federation first formed. The old town of Zug is on Lake Zug about 1/2 hour by train northeast of Lucerne. Some might say we were bound for Lake Zug in Zug, Zug ---- but, I wouldn’t.
  
  When we arrived lakeside, showers were just ending:
  

  

  
  As all the benches were still wet, we wasted no time making our way to the old town:
  

  

  
  The clock tower, with its striped steeple, is the most conspicuous landmark:
  

  

  Originally, it was simply a passageway through the town wall. Its astronomical clock is said to be similar to the one in Berne.
  
  Passing under the clock tower provides access to the upper town:
  

  

  

  
  The workmanship on some of these old houses is incredible and a testament to great wealth:
  

  

  
  This fascinating statue fits right into the neighborhood. It depicts an old woman --- Greth Schell, so the legend goes --- carrying a Basket Full of Fool:
  

  

  Her husband had a habit of getting pickled every night at the local bar and she had a habit of carrying him home in her basket. Some woman.
  
  Other bits that caught our attention were this attractive roadside shrine ....
  

  

  ... and a robust tower once part of the town’s defenses:
  

  

  
  In the center of this scene, another such tower is visible:
  

  

  On the left above, surrounded by ramparts, is Zug Castle. Although initially fortified, it had become a private residence by the end of the 14th century and remained so until 1945. Later, an extensive restoration returned the structure to its 1770 appearance. It now houses a history museum. This Internet photo gives a better idea of its stand-out appearance:
  

  

  And, we can attest, the view from its top floor is worth the climb:
  

  

  The clock tower, of course, is “front and center”. On the left is the 15th century parish church of St. Oswald --- designed, incidentally, by the same architect as the clock tower.
  
  ************************************** EDITOR’S NOTE: Having come from “A” (as in Aare) to “Z” (as in Zug), this journal has completed a full circle. Happily, the travelers returned home safely and without incident, trucking along many fond memories. If truth be told, though, plans for the next adventure soon began to sprout. .... Well, what’s new?