Mumbai, India. Friday, 4th May 2018
That time of the year, yet again! Another trip to the wonderland called Europe, but with a difference - this time the destinations are embedded in West Europe - Amsterdam, Keukenhof, Brugge, Brussels, Luxembourg City and Vianden; to add to the German capital Berlin. Berlin was an automatic choice after reading Thomas Harding's engrossing 'The House by the Lake'; and the others were chosen by Urmila.
Started from Nashik this morning at 10:30 (ETD 09:00!) by Bhagwan's (our regular cab owner) taxi and after a comfortable ride of 3hours and three-fourths, punctuated by a solitary halt at Food Court, reached my cousin Usha's place at Malad, a suburb of Mumbai. Welcomed by the Nabars - my brother-in-law Dilip, Usha and Dilip's mother Malu ajji; and a surprise host - a sweet cat whose name, we learnt, was Flora. Lunched on Tuborg strong and fish - curry and fried - the Nabar family is unmatched for its hospitality! Had a rest followed by a short snooze at around 16:30; mobile on charging.
It is now 19:05, everyone's engrossed in 'Colours Marathi' (a popular regional channel on television) except Usha, who is preparing tea which is emanating a most pleasant aroma. ETD for the airport is 20:30; OLA cab booked; look forward to a great trip!
The cab arrived on time. Reached terminal T-2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport of Mumbai, at 21:00. Completed the check in and other formalities that included a 45 minutes wait at Immigration. Chicken sausage roll and cappuccino at Costa Coffee - a hat trick, 2014, 2016 and now).
Saturday, 5th May 2018
The Swiss Air flight LX-155 departed at 01:10 and was comfortable for the most part. A little turbulence had to be tolerated. Good snacks on the flight - Chicken Roll, accompanied by whiskey on the rocks after being airborne; lovely croissant and black tea before landing at Zurich; followed by the swiss chocolates! The chocolates are certainly delicious. As we neared Zurich, I managed to catch a quick glimpse of the magnificent Alps range that provided an impressive backdrop to the neatly manicured greenery below. One couldn't help marvelling - yet again - at the jaw dropping scene!! Europe is Europe, unmatched for beauty and discipline.
Lovely to be back at Zurich Flughafen (airport) after another 2-year gap. Had a quick wash, introduced the MATRIX SIM into my TAB (no problems this time!) and made our way to Gates A, by the now familiar route - escalators and the train. Urmila had to part with her rose water at Security. It is now 08:10; we are waiting at the concourse opposite opposite transfer deck 'A' - I am writing while Urmila is enjoying a nap!
Duly boarded Swiss Air flight LX-964 to Berlin. The aircraft took off at 10:05 and we were immediately treated to the spectacular view of the majestic Alps - seemingly endless! Naturally revived memories of 2016. Munched a cheese roll (good) and washed down by black tea, followed by the Swiss Air chocolates - great as usual. landed at Berlin on time - the industrial face of Germany was conspicuous from the air as well. Waited for what seemed like ages for our checked-in bags to appear; we were half fearing a repeat of the bad experience of last year's at Mumbai, when our checked-in baggage had not arrived on the same flight as we had. Fortunately, there were no alarms this time, though our bags were the last to arrive on the conveyor. Possibly, as we were transiting through Zurich, they might have been loaded first on the Zurich-Berlin aircraft. First in, last out!
Berlin's legendary Tegel airport is nice. It has got a unique, hexagonal shape. Boarded bus no. TXL, after being guided by friendly locals and two policemen. Rode till the stop of Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main train station). The driver issued two tickets but charged us for only one (as I later discovered) - oversight on the part of both. Checked in at the huge InterCity hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof, room no. 705 on the 7th floor, room facing the station. Quite a good room but I prefer the ones with a small corridor as you enter. It is now 14=40 and we still have to finish our morning ablutions!
A mixed bag; that is what I call Berlin after our first day here. The city is certainly dirty - cigarette butts, paper cups, scraps and empty tins litter the pavements, to the accompaniment of spittle! The coaches on the metro trains do not have the system of announcing the next stop. This city seems to be a blend of the old and the new - it seems to be on the rack; on one hand is the desire to appear modern and on the other a reluctance to let go of its history. We had set out after 17:00, looking for something to eat. After hunting for food joints inside the Hauptbahnhof, we settled for what was told to us was chicken pizza - readymade and cold. Urmila conscientiously verified from a local that it was indeed chicken and nothing but chicken!
Caught tram no. M8 to U Naturkundenmuseum and from there, took the metro U6 to Koch Strasse. Exited the station, that is, came to the surface, to blend with history! We were at Checkpoint Charlie!
End of WWII - Berlin carved into zones - Russian zone, British zone, American zone, French zone - cold war!! Back to the U-Bahn (metro) station, U6 to Stadtmitte, U2 to Alexanderplatz. This is a huge, popular, commercial area of the city, typically Europe. Paved and cobbled roads and pavements, market square, tall buildings, church. restaurants, music, the works !
Went to Hotel Park Inn only to be told that the viewing gallery was on the 40th floor and the left went up only till the 35th. Neither of us was in the mood to climb five storeys, so decided to give it a miss. Walked back in the jamboree to Alexanderplatz S-Bahn (surface rail) station; purchased fruits, chips, Bacardi tin. Back to our hotel by tram M5 which passed through an area called Hackesher Markt - perhaps the most happening place in Berlin - pretty lively. Enough daylight at 21:00. Enjoyed the Bacardi in the room. Dropped off to a sound sleep.
A hat-trick of visits to Europe - 2016, 2017 and 2018!