- The Swiss officer at the border without checking our passports! ;)
Chamonix, France is perhaps going to stay as my favorite place. A lovely place, hidden deep in a valley surrounded by the French Alps, secluded from the rest of the bustling world with its river L'Arve running in rivulets calmly, can steal any given heart. For the very first time I had a longing to return to a place so much, no sooner than we left. Love at first sight, indeed.
What a view! What a sight! Into the oblivion till the horizons meet! 'Mountain clad' snow, melting white stuff creating falling waters and those infinite shades of green. I could starve to stare at it forever & ever, all my life. The two way cog wheel train ride with a single intersection point can equally mesmerize, as we watch those stretches of steep mountain land change from green to tall dark green to barren brown to thick milky white. Heaven! Even the cable car ride is available, if you wish, all the way to Italy!
Just yesterday, we rolled our heads high at the foothills to trace the bright bulb glowing on the peak and wondered how anybody could get there. Today, under the good God's warm Sun, we stood and stared from a 4,810 m high. All these interventions and pioneering began in these strange small lands in the beginning of the 20th century itself and by the way, who own the planet's highest peaks?! Oh boy! I ain't saying anything. I just feel so poor and backward.
In all those seemingly ending but 'still- an- hour to reach' bus rides, which the Cox & Kings called leisure drives, there was always, Michelle, our tour operator to comfort everybody, saying,
"Like in life, rather than the destination; it's the journey we undertake that makes the difference" to which we couldn't help but agree except for the ripened arse. Also, the wonderful vent for expression- 'Ooh là là' was something everybody took to and chanted day in and out, helplessly.
Switzerland is one supremely talked about place for its Alps, film shooting, honeymoons, neutrality, richness, quality of life and everything. Sparing the sarcasm in those dialogues of Ranbir Kapoor in the movie 'Bachna Ae Haseeno', yes! There were the grass and the cows, let's add dark chocolate to the list and let's complete the statement with the word 'imported'!
"It's what you have seen on the post cards and wall posters or perhaps may have dreamed of, in the wildest of dreams. It's picture perfect."
- Michelle, as we touched the Swiss border on the 'false perfect' count of 10.
After the visit to the Mount Blanc, we didn't dare to miss out any optional tours. Next, Jungfraubahnen! To Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe, a UNESCO world heritage of the Swiss Alps via Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg stations by the Cogwheel train again, was another such visit. Quoting, 'The high Alpine tour, a simple stroll, skiing in eternal snow, the breath taking views of France, Germany and Italy from the Sphinx' and including half naked men Sun bathing in freezing temperatures, sculptures in the Ice Palace, 'moving frozen' glaciers and the hot Indian lunch.
Art flourished, may be because their tummies were already well fed to think about 'after food' unlike in the developing world. Signboards flourished, with the names of UNO, ECE, ICC, ILO, ITC, UNHCHR, WHO, WMO, UNESCO et cetera et cetera.
At Trümmelbach Falls, more than the sight of the series of glacier- water falls; what's remarkable to understand and notice is that these tons of water penetrated through the mountain forming crevices and how man decided to dissect open this huge chunk of rock and made it accessible. A marvel created when nature's best gifts are coupled with man's best efforts.
P.s Mahatma Gandhi lives in many gardens all around the globe.
All in all, from the fantastic view from the hotel window to the night walk with Dr. Adilakshmi and Dr. Ramanuja, it was an amazing stay.
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