Life as I am living it

St. Patrick's Day in Belfast, Northern Ireland - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

2011-03-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

St. Patrick's Day in Belfast, Northern Ireland - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

Berlin: History alive (part 4)

2011-02-23T16:37:00.003-06:00

The East- West border is always wandering,

sometimes eastward, sometimes west,

and we do not know exactly where it is just now:

in Guagamela, in the Urals, or maybe in ourselves,

so that one ear, one eye, one nostril, one hand, one foot,

one lung and one testicle or one ovary

is on the one, another on the other side.Only the heart…

(by Jaan Kaplinski) The Wandering Border

And I didn’t know which side my heart was. But it was really aching. The most memorable part of our Berlin tour was the journey from west side to east. We took a s-bahn to Ostbahnof. The s-bahns are surface trains and U-bahns are underground trains. These form the main transport system of the city.

The s- bahn we took had to cross the river spree to reach the eastern part of Berlin. The journey was quite enjoyable. I remember that there was a man in the train singing with a guiter; and a very old lady was sitting beside me who compensated her overall palor with a bright red dress and very bright red lipstick.

The change of view is so obvious and striking that you need no guide to tell you that you have entered the eastern part of Berlin. It was gray. And it bore the memories of its war trodden past all over it, much more than the western part. It actually seemed a completely different country. The fields were gray, the streets looked forlorn and the houses deserted. Once outside of the Ostbahnof, the crowd in front of Hauptbahnof, the busy faces, the shops and restaurants and all the color seem to be stories from a different country. Here life seemed grim and gray.

We went on walking. The eastside gallery on Mühlenstrasse was what we came to see. It was colourful and some of the graffiti was really good and many were real works of art. Though most of it were damaged by people and weather and the paintings sure needed restoration, one could clearly see the passion of the artists who boldly spoke against the partition through their colors.The paintings actually lifted my spirit.

The reunification of Germany and the breaking of the Berlin wall has always seemed to me to be a dream story…too good to be true. I am myself from a part of the world where we have long sighed across borders but still can’t reach our brothers and sisters on the other part of the boundary. Our own ancestor’s land is a foreign country to me. I have never seen it and as a child have always hoped to see it without crossing a border. My father comes from East Bengal, present Bangladesh and I am born in modern India. But I can never forget that the country they call Bangladesh is a part of my own history. I have never seen the land where my ancestors lived, where my father spent his childhood.

So while I was looking at East Berlin, which was not East Berlin anymore, lying there gray and sad, I was feeling an incomprehensible pain, love and a bonding with these people devastated by the whims of a few statesmen who have played with their allegiance, their future and their pasts.

Berlin: History alive (part iii)

2011-02-07T16:43:00.002-06:00

Close to the Brandenburg gate is the German parliament, Reichstag. It seemed to be one of the most visited attractions of Berlin as there was a real long queue to see the dome. I would advise anyone who visits the city to come as early as possible in the morning to avoid a very long queue if they want to have the view from the dome. The dome on the top of the Reichstag offers a 360 degree view of the city and it lets sunlight down to the Parliament floor. The construction is really impressive.

While waiting in the long queue, we talked about whether this building we were about to visit was important just as the new Parliament building or the years of history associated with its name compelled our interest more.

Reichstag

Just like the Brandenburg gate, the Reichstag building has seen several historical ups and downs and has a strange story of its own to tell. Before its construction German Parliament assembled in various smaller houses on the Leipzeiger strasse.

In 1872 an architectural contest was held to chose the architect to build the new building. Though work couldn’t begin even after 10 years when another architectural contest was held among 189 architects. The winner was the Frankfurt architect, Paul Wallot.

On 9 June 1884, the foundation stone was laid by Wilhelm I. He died in 1888 and the construction was completed in 1894, under Wilhelm II, who was against the idea of Parliament as an institution.

In 1916, the words “Dem Duestchen volke”( to the German People ) were added though it did not please the Emperor, Wilhelm II and he even tried to block the inscription. The building’s cupola built with steel and glass was a marvel of architecture of the time

On 9 November 1918, after the World War I was over Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed the “republic” of Germany from one of its balconies. It remained the seat of Parliament of the Weimar Republic till 1933.

In 1933, it was set to fire supposedly by Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch socialist. The Nazis then did away with Parliament altogether. The damaged building was used for military purposes during World War II and was further destructed by air raids and also became the target of the red army in the battle of Berlin in 1945.

Though it was no more the parliament , yet it was restored in 1961 after another architectural contest. After the Reunification of Germany, the official reunification ceremony was held in the Reichstag on 3 October 1990.But there was yet another architectural contest in 1992 and another reconstruction that ended in 1999.The new beautiful cupola was made and the parliament then finally moved to the Reichstag.

Berlin: History alive (part ii)

2011-01-24T16:44:00.003-06:00

Walking on the streets of Berlin is walking through history itself. Although Berlin has quite recovered from its World War II wounds and contemporary life with its fashion, ambition and troubles has taken its natural priority in the lives of people there, yet a newcomer to the city can't but notice the scars and bruises here and there. Many of the impressive buildings were already rebuilt while many were still under construction.

A little History

Founded in the 12th century, Berlin is quite a new city by European standards. Yet, it has often been the center of German history. It became the capital of the German Empire in 1870, after the Unification of Germany following the French defeat in the Franco Prussian war.

As we walked through its busy streets, now and then hoping on a S-bahn or U-bahn, there was an inescapable thought that came to our mind again and again. What it might have been like to walk these streets in the Nazi era, the pre and post World War days!!

Berlin was never the center of the Nazi movement. However, when Hitler came to power in Jan 30, 1933 Berlin was the capital of Germany. At that time almost 160,000 Jews were living in Berlin which was 4% of the Berlin population and 1/3 rd of all German Jews. And this whole population was exterminated in the Holocaust that followed.

I sure don't remember where we went first and how I planned the trip through the city. But I remember the city, its buildings and streets and the impression it created on me and it is just as fresh today as if it was yesterday.

Brandenburger Tor

I remember standing in front of the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg gate) filled with awe and admiration. How many layers of history lay behind its plaster? This awe inspiring large gate is one of the main symbols of Berlin and Germany. We have seen it so many times in pictures and yet standing in front of it is an overwhelming experience.

Erected in the 1730s it was one of the 18 gates to enter the city. Between 1788 and'91, the old simple construction was replaced by the current construction. Its design was based on Propylaea, the gateway to Acropolis in Athens, Greece. There are 12 Doric columns and 5 passageways of which citizen were allowed to use only two. On the top is Quadriga, a chariot drawn by 4 horses driven by Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory.

In 1806, Napoleon took the Quadriga to Paris after defeating Prussia at the battle of Jena-Auerstedt.

In 1814, it returned to Berlin after Napoleon’s defeat. This time Victoria's wreath of oak leaves was supplemented with a new symbol of Prussian power, the Iron Cross.

In the Nazi era, it became a party symbol.

It miraculously survived the allied bombing in World War II.

There were holes made in the columns though, which were plastered and yet could be clearly recognized.

After the War was over and Berlin along with Germany was divided, it became the gate to enter East Berlin from the West.

In 1961, the Berlin wall was built just west of the gate and the checkpoint at the gate was closed.

When in 1989 the wall was broken Brandenburger Tor became the symbol of this reunification as Helmut Kohl passed through it to be greeted by the East German Prime Minister Hans Modro.

So there we stood steeped in history, and though our eyes were wondering at the present beauty of the columns, our minds were wandering through the past and marveling at this symbol of victory. The Germans didn't win the war. And yet the German people did win their war against all kinds of separatist forces and finally secured their freedom here just before this great symbol of Victory.

Berlin : history alive

2011-01-18T13:59:00.003-06:00

Enough of Switzerland.
Let me tell you today about our trip to Berlin.
In 2003, we lived for sometime in Frankfurt and from there we made two trips: one to Berlin and another to Paris.

Berlin as it seemed to me was quite a cheaper city than Frankfurt.We lived in a twin bed room in a hostel which seemed quite cheap and they even gave us complementary welcome drink,a bottle of rose wine.

They had an elaborate breakfast within that price too.
The city was like nothing I ever saw before or hope to see again.The deep wounds that the World War II made on its bosom were still not completely cured.Although a great part of the city and its devastated old buildings had already been replaced by replicas,you could just feel its history as you move through it.

Whenever I go to some city for a day or two, I try to make a solid plan. I first read and read and try to find out the attractions that I won't like to miss.Then I study more about them .I form an idea about the transport system in that place and try to find out if there are any passes available. I find out if there are entrance fees for the places I would like to visit. After that I finally decide what to see and what to pass by.

Thus, I formed the list of the must-sees in Berlin

Brandenburg Gate
Checkpoint Charlie
Eastside Gallery
Potsdamer Platz
Charlottenburg Palace
Berliner Dom
Reichstag
Kaiser William Memorial Church
Bebelplatz
Duetscher Dom and Französischer dom

Famous People in Montreux Vevey

2010-12-13T12:37:00.003-06:00

One day last Fall we just went out to explore the nearby vineyards. Now, we had our little daughter with us.So our adventures were not so thoughtless any more.Just above Vevey there are two little villages: Corsier and Corseaux. We decided to go to Corseaux as from there one could reach the vineyards easily.The walk is uphill, but the view compensates the trouble. So we walked pushing our daughter's little stroller through the winding little streets enjoying the glimpses of Lake Geneva between the houses,the little gardens in front of the little stone houses where huge pumpkins lay in abundance and some late Fall flowers were still in bloom.

Corseux

Then we reached a crossroad where we had to decide which way to take.We had tried the one on the left before.This time we decided to go in the right way.And right it was.For there was a little surprise waiting for me there. The road on the right was very steep and I had trouble pushing the stroller up.In a while, we were inside the village and there was a sign again to the right which said "Graham Greene...".
I stood there for a moment overwhelmed by the knowledge that Graham Greene might have stood at this same spot looking up the road before starting for his house that was just a little walk from there uphill.And this thought,this knowledge suddenly gave me a completely different and new view of the old Corseux village. I have came here several times earlier,yet have always missed this particular spot and hence this particular view. I was no more just looking at a little cosy wine-growing village at the foothills of alps.I was looking at the final resting place of one of the greatest novelists of the century.

Yes,that was what the sign said.I knew that many famous people have come to Vevey and lived there.
But Graham Greene was one of my favourite authors.I loved his Monsignor Quixote, The Power and the Glory, The Human Factor....Monsignor Quixote,in particular, is one of my most favourite books in English literature.

After we reached the place where Graham Greene used to live,we found that another famous man,James Mason,the British actor was his neighbour.Mason moved to Vevey in 1962.Mason's greatest roles include Brutus in Julius Caesar,Captain Nemo in 20000 Leagues under the Sea. and Humbert Humbert in Lolita. As coincidence would have it, the writer of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov was living here in Montreux-Vevey almost at the same time(1960-1977).

With Charles at lake side Vevey

The most famous resident of Vevey was,of course,Charles Chaplin.He lived in Corsier which is just above Vevey and adjacent to Coreseux.There is a park in his name at Corsier and a statue by the lakeside.He settled in Corsier sur Vevey in 1952 and died in his sleep on the Christmas of 1977.Graham Greene and Mason were neighbours and they used to visit Chaplin often and were good friends. Mason,later in his life served as narrator for a British Television series on the films of Chaplin, which was later aired in the US.
Graham Greene conceived of the novel Doctor Fischer of Geneva while in Vevey.Although short, it is one of his more powerful later works, a devastating satire on capitalism and the corrupting power of greed.Mason's final screen-work was playing the lead role in Dr. Fischer of Geneva, a T.V film adopted from Graham Greene's novel of the same name.

Greene,Chaplin and Mason were buried in these two little villages above Vevey.
Vevey Montreux has had many other famous residents from Rousseau,Dostoevsky to Hemingway and Freddie Mercury. Rousseau stayed in Vevey in 1730 and the house he stayed in later turned in to a cafe,Cafe De la Clef.Vevey Montreux Tourism offers a tour on these famous residents and there are talking benches all over the two towns that has recorded voices that tells what these people had to say about this place.

A few Interesting links:
1) Graham Greene, Graham Greene in Vevey
2) James Mason
3) Charles Chaplin, Charles Chaplin in Vevey
4) Famous People in Montreux-Vevey

Montreux-Vevey: My life in the Riviera continued...

2010-12-03T10:39:00.001-06:00

In 2005, we lived in Vevey in a house which was very close to my husband's office.The supermarkets were all within walking distance.But this house didn't have a dishwasher and was not as large and beautiful as the first one.Yet, from it I could see the Mt.Pelerin.
The 1 Vevey Funi bus that I told you about in my last post actually takes you to the Funiculaire station of the Mt.pelerin.Now what is a Funiculaire? It is a small train that operates with the same technology that a lift does.These are small tilted trains with transperant top and bottom so that you can have a nice view of the valley while you go to the top. I have described this in my Lugano post.But this was smaller and with a lesser descent.The Mont Pelerin Funi does not take you to the top of the mountain.It takes you to a little village from where you have to walk up the hill to reach a tower at the top.This tower has a lift and the view from the top is spectacular.
But what I like more is the nice little journey up the cozy automatic Funi.Yes,it is automatic and there is no driver.It has three intermediate stops that is very uncommon for a Funiculaire. It stops at Corseaux,Chardonne and La Baume and crosses the famous Chardonne vineyards. You can just hop off at any of these places and the world heritage site of the Lavaux vineyards will be within a few minutes walk.

These vineyards are natural and can be traced back to the 11th century.At that time the area was controlled by Benedictine and Cistercian monesteries.The vineyards look their best in the fall when the grapes are ripe and ready to be picked up and the leaves display a variety of colours.

This picture reminds me of another aspect of Vevey.This little town and its surrounding villages had been the place where many a famous people lived their last days in peace.
The most famous of them is of course, Charles Chaplin.
But more on it on my next post...
Usefull Links: 1) The vevey Funi
2) Lavaux Vineyards
3) Vevey- Montreux tourism

Montreux-Vevey: My life in the Riviera

2010-11-29T11:39:00.001-06:00

The stories that I have so far shared with you are from 2003.That was the time when I was outside India for the first time.I had to rake my brain and really try hard to remember some of the details of those journeys.But I have lived for a long time in Switzerland and other European countries since then. And it is somewhat difficult for me to remember the cultural shocks that I experienced at that time.
Yet today, I intend to tell you about my everyday life as it was in Switzerland and the way I adopted with that life. I have lived in three different houses in the Swiss riviera in three different times.The place I lived first was Bonivard that I described in my older posts.From there,the nearest shops were quite far away.I had to take a bus and go to Montreux which was 5-6 stops away.The journey was,however, really beautiful.Imagine me, a girl from a suburb near Kolkata, the most crowded city in India, who was a daily passenger in the madly crowded trains that come to Kolkata from those suburbs, sitting in the beautiful trolley bus looking out of the enormous windows at the lake Geneve....

These buses are actually all windows.They have very small rails separating one window from another...so the feeling is never of being inside some closed carriage, rather of moving through the town and by the side of the lake in an open carriage.These buses move like trums, but not on rails.They are linked with the electric lines on the top as trums in India are. This 1 Vevey Funi is the bus that I used to board whenever I needed to go to Montreux for my shopping. And the route of this bus is just by the lake.
Unlike in our country,here the cheaper option is always the shopping malls and supermarkets.In Kolkata, we still regard supermarkets as fancy new options where the quite well off families go to experience the flavour of life in the western world. And in 2003 there were very few supermarkets in Kolkata.
In Montreux,there is a big shopping mall called Forum.There are a variety of shops there including Migros,Vogle and a Mac too. The most popular supermarket chain in Switzerland is the Migros.That is where I used to buy my vegetables,chicken,prawns and lamb....Yes,lamb replaced our usual goat meat.And salmon or saumon as the French call it, was the fish we bought. I bought other groceries like wheat, milk, oil,etc. from another market chain called the Denner.Denner is the cheap option and it saved us a lot of francs.

Usefull links: The Riviera Bus-VMCV
Montreux-vevey Tourism

Zermatt

2010-11-23T16:47:00.002-06:00

It was a really lucky day. After standing for a while in that position surrounded by the enormity of the white saint like peaks and looking down at the eternal river of ice, I felt so small and so thankfull. I wanted to shout out loud "Thank you..."Thank you for everything....

Then we came down from the view point and started for what is called the Glacier Palace.It is like a cave inside the glacier's cold belly where there are sculptures made of ice.The tunnel that takes you inside this world of chilling wonders is 15 meters below the surface of the glacier. Just the stats can give a person enough chill!! There are hidden lights inside the ice and also music...And the ice sculptures are seen in a mystical blue light that makes the whole place ethereal...as if we are inside a fairytale...

After coming out of the Glacier palace, we started the downwards journey.The clouds had already hidden the Matterhorn's famous 'horn".After coming down we started walking back through the city,but this time we were really slow as one should be while walking in Zermatt.Strolling past the old wooden houses, and the street side souveneir shops we reached the center point of the town,the church square.

We sat down on a bench there watching people....The horse carriages were bringing tourists to the Grand Hotel just beside the church square.Shops were selling soft dogs and marmots(small animals found on the alps) and Swiss bells...hikers were coming down leaning on their sticks.Fresh hikers and skiers were walking up the village in confident strides....

But the clouds were coming down and it was growing dark in the morning...I smelt the fresh air and the moist flavour of the morning clouds of Zermatt made a permanent stamp in my memory at that moment...

I can still see myself sitting there in front of the church talking about this lady's dress and that man's boots and suddenly there was no more noise as if the mute button was pressed...I could hear nothing but the little drops of rain on the clean pavements and on the flowers beside our bench...we felt so complete sitting beside each other....But at that moment I had fallen in a fresh new love...I was in love with Zermatt....

This love compelled me to go back to Zermatt again and again.Later I went to the other peaks and I also took my parents and in-laws there.But later I thought that taking your loved ones to places you love is very streneous.You always have to hold your breath waiting for their comments and hoping for their approval.

Exploring newer places together is a better idea.

Zermatt;The love story continued...

2010-11-16T10:57:00.000-06:00

Now that we have reached Zermatt before the clouds, we tried to win the race to Klein Matterhorn too.But the Cable car station is at the other end of the little village.As I have already mentioned Zermatt is entirely car-free.A few battery driven taxis and horse driven carriages are seen at the station.But the main street is for pedestrians.And we started to walk.

The town (or village?) is in itself very different from any other town I have been.There is a strange tranquility in the air that will at once make your nerves relax.The main street is sometimes quite crowded.But the crowd is only of pedestrians.

Absence of cars can make a place so different.There are all the world famous brands and the boutiques are often pricy.But all of them have one thing in common.They are inside very old looking wooden houses.In the whole place there seems to be no modern house.Beautifully decorated wooden houses are alternated by some very old (restored), darkened wooden houses which look like they will fall down and break into pieces if someone just puts a step inside.
But inside one of them you will find Macdonalds, inside another a shop of the priciest Swiss watches....

We, however,didn't have time to stop and watch.We walked as fast as we could.After a while the street becomes steep and there you cross the beautiful old village,the strange looking houses which seems to belong to history and just put there for a show.And yet you know people live there...and there must be quite modern facilities available inside.

Later, I came to know that this street is know as Hinterdorfstrasse.These houses are mostly 17th and 16th century houses and are often used as barns to store grains and food like sausages.That explains why they are all standing on supporting posts which are often a pile of stone slabs.This was to protect the foods stored from rodents.
The road comes down to the little Vispa river that flows through the middle of Zermatt.There are little log bridges which you have to cross to reach the cable car station.There we bought the tickets(which are actually quite costly(82 CHF),but we had the half pass and payed only 45CHF per head.).
Inside the cable car station, there are little automated glass boxes called Gondolas which are constantly coming in a row but wont stop.So you have to just climb on one of them while they slow down...The first stop is at Furi.From there you have to climb a larger cable car which can take a lot of passengers.It takes you to the mountain stop of Trockner steg.From there starts the last patch of the journey in another cable car.
From Zermatt to Furi,the little romantic gondolas take you above the town and the green fields.Some of the fields also look entirely purple or yellow from above.They are filled with little flowers.

From Furi to Trockner Steg,the cable car is less cozy but the scene begins to change and you start getting glimpse of ice.
From Trockner Steg the cable car takes you into a dramatic journey soaring thousand feets above the glacier and you suddenly find yourself in the midst of a world of eternal ice.White and white every where and you are in the sky looking at it from a soaring eagle's angle.

There is a tunnel and another lift at the Klein Matterhorn station and this takes you to the view point at 3825 m(12,549.21 feet) above sea level.

And finally there we were, standing at the view point with full view of Matterhorn and almost 40 other peaks which were about 4000m high.The Panorama was overwhelming...the stretch of white around us and the slightly dizzying thin air...we felt if we stretched our arms a little we would touch some angel over there...for it certainly seemed their territory.

The sky was still blue with the proud peaks showing off their grandeur in full display.

We have won the race with the clouds!!

Zermatt;its another love story

2010-11-15T12:07:00.000-06:00

The tiny town of Zermatt nestled cozily in the lap of Alps is one of my most favorite places in Switzerland. So much so that I visited the place four times and I know I won't mind a fifth time if I had the chance.

The first time I went there was in the spring of 2003.Oh! I will always remember that day, the day I fell in love with Zermatt.

It was a Saturday.

I had already bought the ticket from the Montreux Train Station on Friday evening, done my homework from the brochures and packed our backpack. And then we heard from the local weather channel (which made forecasts like God) that Saturday was going to be partly cloudy with few rain showers in Zermatt.

And anyone who has gone to the mountains knows how villainous clouds can spoil any tour to the top of any peak. And we were planning to go to Klein Matterhorn to have the closest possible view of the Matterhorn.

So we just planned to take the first train. I have always felt that views on mountains are best in the early morning. We took the 6:44 train from Montreux which happens to be the first connection. From Visp we were to catch the Matterhorn Gotthardbahn, the little red train, which was actually the last part of the Glacier express's journey.

We happened to board a compartment in the train which was entirely empty. There were some brochures inside the compartment. And on the little desks beside the windows where passengers are supposed to put their glasses and dishes, maps are drawn which shows the entire journey and all the stops.

The train runs on a narrow gauge track and passes through numerous tunnels, bridges and valleys. To me this is one of the most romantic rail journeys of Switzerland. For most part of the journey the train runs along the river Vispa (or Mattervispa), which is one of the largest tributaries of the upper Rhone river.

Sitting beside the windows, you lean with the train which bends with the river and slows down at places where the view is overwhelming. It seems to be awe struck at the beauty just like you and slowing down inadvertently just to start again and slow down at another show of nature's beauty....At places the river suddenly changes its mood and disappears only to appear again on the other side of the train. Since the compartment was completely empty, we often changed seats moving from this side to the other to have a better glimpse of the passing views.

As the train gradually approaches Tasch and Zermatt, you start to get glimpses of snow white peaks at a distance and we were constantly guessing which peak was the Matterhorn. At Tasch, you can see large parking areas where everyone who comes with a car will have to leave their car and board the train. No cars are allowed after Tasch.This is the last station before Zermatt.

Visp is the lowest point (650m above sea level) in the journey and the mattertal valley, through which the train passes before it reaches Zermatt (1620m), is 1804 m above sea level. So some parts of the journey include some steep accent which is made possible by cogwheels placed under the locomotive and toothed rack placed between the rails.

The best point in the Journey is when you get a sudden glimpse of the Matterhorn shining bright and unique. Once in Switzerland, you are sure to see it hundred times on pictures and brochures and key rings and yet the heart leaps up at the first glimpse of the snow capped horn shaped peak standing proud and majestic against the deep blue sky.

Then it disappears and you reach Zermatt.

The Adventure in Ticino:Lost and found

2010-11-08T12:38:00.000-06:00

It was already 7pm.The bus stop had no other connection. We just started walking. We had left everything in the hotel, even our resident permits. There was no question of trying the hiking path which went through the woods. We were still hoping to get some cab or reaching a bus stop with another bus connection. I had the Orario (timetable) in my hand and we followed the bus route so that we don't get lost.

We were walking by the side of the highway on the thin path after the rightmost border. At times it was a little wide so that even two people can walk side by side. But most of the time it was so thin that you are afraid that your shoulders are across the border while your steps are barely outside the line. At least during the first one hour or so, there was some grass beside the road so that we could just walk on it. Cars seemed to be going past us in lightning speed. And each time I heard the cars approaching I clenched my teeth. After a while the road became more difficult. There was slope beside the road and it was uphill. The place beside the border line was thin. And I tried to imagine that we were in a circus...At first he was in front and I was following him. But the sound of the cars approaching from the back made my nerves wreck. So I asked him to be behind me so that if I lost my balance he could hold me.

The feeling that he was behind me eased my nerves a little and we continued with our trapeze.

All this time we didn’t see any cab. He constantly tried to ask for a lift, but perhaps nobody trusted us enough to give us a lift. After all we were an Indian couple walking beside a highway at that hour of night...perhaps we looked like robbers...or actually they just didn’t care. We were actually hoping to see a police car or some police station nearby. But as luck would have it we never saw one.

Then it started to grow dark. There were portions of road where I couldn’t see my own hand until there was a car approaching with its blinding headlights. We could understand that it was very natural that in those portions of the street the drivers couldn’t see us either. I was constantly muttering my God's name and was trying to switch off my brain. But it was not to be. There were strange smells of animals coming from the forests. I remembered all the mafia films and all types of strange fears crawled up my spine

...my spine was gradually stiffening and my knees started showing signs of rebellion

I was waiting for some miracle to happen; I needed one desperately at that moment.

When we were out of one of those dark patches we felt so relieved...and for some time we could walk in the lights coming from Gas stations or nearby bus stops...But then again we had to enter the darkness.

We ceased thinking of anything else but the details of these path and when we walked in the darkness we could see very little dots of light far away...and we walked with the aim of reaching those lights...

Thus we crossed miles after miles of road...and we were still far from Bellinzona...

But now we were at least approaching the city...the bus stops now had seats...But we were afraid that if we sat down we would be overcome by fatigue and lose the stubbornness that was keeping our feet moving...

But now I was already limping. My left knee was so stiff by now that it was really painful to move it. We stopped again and again, tried to message my knees and again tried to go on ignoring the pain.

At one bus stop, I sat down. He now knew that my pain was too much...and became so desperate that he was actually standing on the road waving his two hands asking for a lift.

I was terrified and limped as fast as I could to pull him back...

"What do you think you are doing?"

He was almost in tears, ‘I am feeling so helpless. You are in such a condition and I can’t do anything!!"

It always happens that when he is in despair I become very strong.

I stood up and said "But I can still walk"

It was the last patch of the journey.

By this time it had started raining. We didn't have a drop of water with us and the rain seemed so soothing.

I was now leaning on him and he was almost dragging me...My left knee just refused to fold. We were now just two bus stops away from the hotel.

But the nearer we were towards our destination, the faster my strength was giving away...I leaned with all my weight on his body and even walked with my eyes closed...

Finally, when we reached the Hotel, we found the door was closed and locked.

We sat down on the stairs and I could guess from his face that he was about to burst and do something violent. At that time a lady came from nowhere...she was returning from a party and was late...she also stayed in that hotel...she rang the bell again and again, did the shouting and pounding...

Now she noticed my condition and asked us what the matter...was

"We are in this state because of the excellent hospitality of the people of your country.” he burst and told how we were left by the driver and how no one gave us a lift...and the distance we had to walk...

"Mamma Mia! This girl walked that distance “and she hold me in her arms as if I was a little girl.

Now I broke down completely and started sobbing and I sobbed as I took my breath and couldn't stop.

The Hotel Guard has now opened the door. The lady went to the manager and told our story...We told him we wanted to cancel our reservation for the next day as we were neither in the mental nor physical state to enjoy anything...He sent some bottles of mineral water to our room.

I tried to open my shoes but my feet were so swollen that I couldn't. My husband pulled them off...

Next day we started for home and thanks to the excellent transport system of Switzerland, even with my incapacitated leg we reached our home quite smoothly.

I stayed at home for a whole week after that as it was really difficult to walk.

The leg however healed much quicker than my heart.

Even long after that I used to have nightmares where I walked beside the Highway and Cars were passing close enough to knock me down any moment.

If we had a cell phone with us, if we saw the return timetable before we started, if we trusted the Swiss transport system a little less, we would not be in that situation...we speculated afterwards.

But what we gained was a strengthened relationship...walking that distance together and being in that helpless situation made our bond even stronger...the best part was that we didn’t blame each other or get angry on each other in spite of the situation. And we didn’t lose our faith....

And after this day we trusted each other more and the Swiss transport system a little less. Never again we went anywhere before knowing exactly when the last bus or the last cable car or last train connection was.

Now, when I am writing this I am In the US where driving on the highway is almost everyday affair...and whenever we drive on a highway I see the sidewalk and when it is very narrow I thank God for saving us that day...
That Was the miracle

Our Adventure:Lost in the Wilderness

2010-11-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

When we reached Bellinzona,it was already past midday.We were very exhausted.We went straight to the tourist office.The lady there was so helpful.She booked a room for us within our budget at a hotel just opposite the railway station. We walked a little in the beautiful town.The town had a medieval flavour in all its architechture.The skyline of Bellinzona,the capital of Ticino, is defined by the powerful fortifications of the three medieval castles,which are also Unesco World Heritage Sites.The town is the gateway to Italy and seen from the South it acts as a keyhole to the Alps.
The lady at the tourist office had asked us to come to downtown in the evening as there was some local event there...there would be music...some jazz band was going to play...
I felt hungry as I saw the chicken being roasted at the roadside stands.The whole day we have been surviving on snacks as we didnt have time for lunch.
So we decided to first go to the hotel,check in,have a bath and then come downtown to have a good meal and enjoy whatever music and festivities they were arranging.
When we came out of the hotel it was already 6pm.But as it was summer it felt like it was just 4pm or so.It was a five minutes walk from there to the downtown.
We thought we should first have a look at the area surrounding the hotel.Though the hotel was near the station, it was still quite a peaceful place.
There was a bus station just across the street.We thought we should check the bus timings so that we could decide which bus to take next day and when.We had plans of exploring the virgin Biasca valley the next morning.There was really a bus connection to Biasca and as I was just looking at the timetable a bus arrived.

We asked the driver whether this goes to the Biasca and he nodded.

We asked by what time we'll reach there.He showed on a little timetable the time we'll reach there.It was only 30 mins.We thought we could just take a ride on the bus and thus we'll have an idea about the place.So we boarded the bus and sat down.There were only two more passengers.The route was so beautiful that for the next few minutes we lived just in our senses absorbing every sight and smell and sound and forgot our bodies...
When I think of that day I wonder when we were feeling so hungry why did we ride that bus in the first place?Curiosity and the madness in the blood that makes me a traveller are the only answers I can give.

One of the passengers got down.I got up and took one of the timetables that were lying there.I wanted to know when was the last bus to return.And what I found?That it was already too late.The last bus had already left.It was just 6:45pm.I went to the driver and bought the ticket and asked to make it a return one.He said the bus was not going to return today.It was the last bus.
And within 10 minutes we were there.
The last stop.
I requested the driver even if the bus doesnt go all the way to Bellinzona...he could just drop us anywhere in the way back.He denied and left.
There we were... standing in the Biasca or whatever it was with all our romanticism thrown on our face with a nice slap.
There was just his wallet and camera and nothing else with us.The bus stop showed that there was only one bus route and the last bus had left at 6:30.
It was almost in the midst of wilderness.There were a few houses at a distance.
But most of the place was forests beside a highway.There was obviously a direction mark showing Bellinzona was 23km from here but it pointed towards the hiking path through the forest.
Still we didnt cease to hope.
Want to know what hapenned next?
Tell me what do you think we did after that...

The three mountain lakes hike at Val Piora

2010-11-01T16:48:00.000-05:00

We started early from the hotel as we have planned to catch the 7:30 train from Lugano.The hotel we stayed in Lugano was outside the proper town and we had to take a bus to reach the station.

It was in a very tranquil setting and our room in the 2nd floor had a balcony with a really nice view.The hotel was run by a middle aged lady who didnt know a word of English.Yet we shall never forget their hospitality.

We took the train to Biasca and then a post bus to Piotta.The Yellow Swiss Post buses are a matter of pride for the Swiss.They usually run in very remote locations and they dont carry posts but passengers.The journey to Piotta was beautiful as all journeys in winding hilly roads are.

From Piotta we took the funicular to Val Piora.It is said to be Europe's steepest funicular.The ride was wonderful.We stood in the lower portion of the funi and could see the valley residing beneath our feet,the houses turning tiny ,the roads changing into ribbons and the whole vallley adjusting itself to my visual range as if I was zooming out in my camera.

When we reached Piotta,we realised that there was a long walk ahead.
I have read about the easy hiking trail that covers the three mountain lakes:Lago Ritom,Lago Tom and Lago Cadagno.
The first patch of the hike is a on steep road that takes you to Lago Ritom.It starts just where the funi stops.
We walked almost half an hour on that road before we reached the lake. Old people and women pushing prams were walking on that steep hike as if it was the most normal everyday walk.This is something we have seen everywhere in Switzerland.While we are panting for breath, we could see old people,older than our parents walking up steep hilly roads in such confident strides.

Lago Ritom was a small lake with beautiful clear water.The place was wonderfully silent.The blue lake was surrounded by lush greenary and there were such a variety of flowers and some of them are rare and so picking was prohibited.We felt tired and at the same time refreshed as we sat beside the lake soaking the beauty of the place with all our senses.
I took out some biscuits,cake and water from my backpack...
From there there was no more a well made road;but there were signs pointing towards lago Tom.We walked following the signs.At Lago Tom we didnt descend to the lake but took some photos and continued walking towards lago Cadagno.
The Lago cadagno seemed the most beautiful of all.You can really see the sky,the clouds and the surrounding mountains reflected in its crystal clear water.The lake was lying there like a small private mirror for the beauties of nature.The sight was really breathtaking.There was a small cottage beside the lake...we walked around it taking pics...and time passed by so fast...

Suddenly,we remembered that we will have to return to the funicualr station and it was a long walk...So we had to start...
Even today I can feel the breeze on my skin,smell the subtle fragnance of alpine flowers,see the dazzling greenary and the sky rippling in the crystal clear water of the lakes...
We walked down fast,slightly dizzy with our senses full to the brim...and our bodies extremely tired...
At the funi station we drank some yoghurt drink I had with me and boarded the funi...
On the same day we had to reach Bellinzona.I had no hotel booked there.So we had to hurry...

The adventure in Ticino

2010-10-29T15:23:00.001-05:00

It was a long journey of almost 6 hours.So we started early.Long journeys in Switzerland,however,seem shorter than they actually are.The journey itself was so beautiful that we seldom thought of reaching the destination.The beautiful swiss cities,the meadows,the mountains,the little villages with the small churches,the sudden blinding darkness of the tunnels and the change of scenary after that...the panorama keeps your mind so occupied that suddenly you realize that you are there.

The Lugano station seemed to be on a little hill and there was actually a Funiculaire to take us down to the heart of the town.

The town itself was different from any Swiss cities we have visited so far.It had a mediterranean flair,narrow pebbled and sometimes staircased streets.You have to take these small stairs to reach one lane from another.The shopping street was covered and there was a romantic Italian flavour in everything.Yet it maintained the Swiss standards of clealiness and well groomed beauty.
The lakeside promenades were lined with sub tropical plants,and beautiful flowers.
We took a cruise on the lake Lugano.
In Ticino,they call the "lake", "lago",Italian being the main language spoken there.

The day was sunny and the lake was sparkling.It was a pretty large steamer and we seated ourselves on the upper deck.We could see the Monte San Salvatore just moments after the steamer started moving...I dont remember the names of all the islands we saw,but some of them seemed unreal...just made for us...
I seem to remember naming one"Lover's Paradise" or was it it's real name?I am confused.

We got down on a place called Morcote.The town (or village) seemed to be peeping out from a steep wooded hill...And what you will notice first is the Santa maria del Sasso Church.But to reach that church you have to climb up a few hundred stairs.but the view from there is really worth it.There are some 16th century frescoes inside the church.But what I remember most is the little town with its quaint narrow streets, arcaded restaurants, pretty boutiques and paved alleyways.
The place was so romantic,so tranquill,I thought what if I suddenly got a chance to live here for the rest of my life?
Oh no! that was the other side of the river and you never know until you get there!!
I dont remember what I thought on that day.Perhaps I died to stay.But what I wrote now is what I think today if I had to answer that question.
True I have grown old.
True I would not take the risks I took on that journey again.
I am so much more responsible now!!Ok...more on that later....
After we came back we had a Doner kebab and went to the hotel to stay the night.
Next day we were going to the Three lake Paradise of val Piora...

What Seas,what shores,what grey rocks and what Islands...what Images return...

2010-10-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

The summer of 2003.

It was like a dream.Every weekend we went out to explore the beauties of nature.This weekend we went to Jungfraujoch(top of europe);on the next we started walking aimlessly on the hills above Montreux and reached Glion;then for the coming weekend we planned to escape into the tranquility of Zermatt;after a weeks rest, we started for the medieval castle above Gruyers to attend a folk festival...

At that time,neither of us had a cellphone.We didnt have internet in our home.There was no question of car;we didnt know the ABC of driving.

I used to collect free Brochures from the Montreux tourist office which were given in abundance...read them,decide where to go,find out train hours from SBB-CFF timetable,decide whether we can return the same day,if not book hotel (again from brochures)through phone.Yes,in switzerland,you can book hotels on phone without giving your credit card number. They will keep the bed ready for you.But if you wont go,you should do the courtsey of cancelling it on phone again.If not done you would be rebuked on phone and reminded of your manners.

Of all these journeys,I will tell you today of the one that is haunting my dreams for the last few days...

A trip to Ticino,the southern part of Switzerland.We aimed to go to Lugano and Bellinzona and explore the virgin beauty of the Blenio valley...

Wait for my next Blog and let me know your thoughts

Just polishing the feathers

2010-10-25T13:55:00.000-05:00

But as you know heaven just as Hell is in your mind...atleast half of it.(Certainly I cant fill heaven in a dustbin!!)
And in spite of all the beauty I was bored sometimes.I was preparing for a competetive exam before I decided to forget it all and follow him(my husband) wherever he goes.So I needed to take up something else now except the housework to keep myself mentally fit.
So I started planning for trips.I started reading about places.I started with the Swiss regions,its geography,its special attractions,mainly natural beauty because that's what I wanted to see in Switzerland.
I have my mind set up in that way when I plan a trip.
When I am going to London,I think about history,I think about literature.But in Switzerland I let my brain have a rest and my mind wonder.Pure beauties of nature are to be enjoyed in a very relaxed pace and a relaxed state of mind...You have to resign yourself and let the tide of feelings take charge.
For the next few years there was no stopping.
Now all of a sudden I understand why I started this blog.
I want to share those experiences I had. Shall I start with the strangest ones?Or the most beautiful ones?
Or the most difficult and adventurous ones?

The Swiss Riviera: It Is Heaven

2010-10-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

I am in Paradise...thats's what I felt when I was there in 2003.We lived in Bonivard,close by Monntreux. Bonivard is the name of the prisoner who lived in the famous Chateau de Chillon.

François Bonivard, a monk from Geneva, was kept prisoner in Chillon Castle from 1532 to 1536 for preaching the Reformation in the areas governed by the staunchly Roman Catholic House of Savoy

Touched by Bonivard’s experience, Lord Byron subsequently composed the romantic, 392-line poem The Prisoner of Chillon. Byron originally included “a fable” in the title, which was an honest thing to do as much of the events described are based on Byron’s imagination.

My balcony was just above the Lac Leman(the local name for Lake Geneva)...on the left was the chateau and on the right I could see Montreux...If I looked down, I could see the Vine train passing just in front of the apartment, vinyards sliding down and meeting the Chemin de Fleurs, which was the beautiful walking path beside the lake.

I used to stand there for hours and said to myself"This is the most beautiful street in the world".

(Later I saw The Avenue des Champs-Élysées and though any comparison may seem funny, I still think that little street the most beautiful in the world).

I used to walk my whole way to Montreux on that beautiful road of flowers and never felt tired.

Life as a migrating bird

2009-07-20T04:35:00.000-05:00

The moment I write the title of this blog I know I am suggesting more than I intend. No, I am just a petty housewife tied to my husband and roaming from one country to another at the will of his employer.I have no career of my own.And I deliberately chose this life...though when I chose it I didnt guess much.

I have always been fond of travelling.Cant stay at one place for two years at a stretch.When I had to,I felt the air turn heavy,and my wings dying to stretch....Perhaps I inherited this from my father.He is a man who travelled through North India with only 15 rupees in his pocket.But I'll tell that story another day.

As a child I have travelled through many parts of India with him.

When I married my boyfriend in 2002(after six years of struggle together),I have never ever thought of travelling outside India.It was a hard earned marriage and the ultimate achievement at that point of time for us.I had no desire left for anything else, not even for travel.

And there I was in 2003,sitting on a terrace overlooking Alpes across Lac Leman(Lake Geneva) in my apartment in Swiss riviera,hoping that this dream stays a little longer.

And from then I have been travelling through and living in many countries,mostly European nations....

And after all these years, today a thought occured to me:"Why dont I write down something of this strange life of mine?"