Nashik, Sunday 29th May 2016
If comparisons are odious, they are inevitable too. Two trips to Europe with a gap of one year in between will naturally invite comparisons - comparisons between the trips, not between India and the West. The latter has been done to death and each trip to Europe only strengthens the belief that India has plenty of catching up to do. No need to say anything more.
Both the trips to Europe were wonderful in their own right but if I am compelled to choose one, I will opt for the one of 2014 for the one reason that the trip of 2014 did not have any disappointments.
Switzerland is magnificent and all things considered, better than Himachal Pradesh or Uttaranchal, if I can compare a country with a state. Nature has been equally kind to India and Switzerland but the denizens of the latter have maintained and respected their land far better than we have; and continue to do so.
Interlaken is simply mind blowing and absolutely unparalleled for its vistas of snow-capped mountains. The neatly laid out lanes and by-lanes, houses with their typical sloping red roofs and chimneys, neatly trimmed hedges and gardens blooming with colourful flowers seem right out of a movie set. The punctual transportation system employing glittering buses in top running condition makes it extremely easy to move about. Set between the beautiful lakes Thun and Brien; and the curvaceous river Aare flowing through it, guarded by snow-capped peaks on all sides; and with a populace that takes pride in keeping its town spic-n-span, make it a veritable heaven on earth!
Hotel De La Paix, located in a residential quarter, was perfect. A pleasant pastel coloured, two-storeyed building in proximity to the West railway station, neatly laid out and maintained rooms with a lounge and a bar to match; and last but by no means the least, very friendly owners, make it an absolutely cosy place to stay at. We would love to go back for a longer stay.
Switzerland's trains are simply superb! Travel from one town to another is extremely pleasurable. Changing trains at cities is hassle-free. The coaches are clean, roomy and almost empty. Trains run bang on time and one almost regrets the fact that they are so
fast that they do not afford us enough time to marvel at the bounty of nature.
The three-hour journey form Zurich to Stuttgart took us through some of the most picturesque countryside - the German countryside giving stiff competition to the Swiss. The perceptible difference was the presence of small factories or manufacturing units at almost every German town that we passed through, clearly revealing the industrial face of this country that has bounced back impressively after the disaster of WWII.
The Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen were breath-taking! It was a pity that we could only watch
them from the closed glass window of a speeding express rather than from up close.
The stay at Stuttgart was wonderful, largely owing to the hospitality of the Salgarkar family, who so kindly hosted us. They made us feel completely at home. Mr. Niraj Salgarkar hired a car to take us around the German countryside - Ulm, Waldenbuch and Schonbuch; on the Sunday. Thanks to Mrs. Salgarkar, we relished home made chicken; prawn masala; and dosas! Mr. Niraj himself
served the morning tea - literally placing the cup in my hands - how nice of him! We were
truly overwhelmed by it all.
One of the three disappointments of the trip was experienced at Waldenbuch, the home of 'Ritter Sport' chocolates. We could neither witness the process of making chocolates at the factory nor buy chocolates at its shop - the latter because it was a Sunday and the former because permission to visit the factory needed to be obtained at least two weeks prior to the planned visit. This was the second
disappointment of the trip.
The first was at Interlaken, when our proposed visit to the homes and farms of Switzerland to experience local culture, was cancelled by the tour operator because we were the only ones who had opted for it! Shame!
Stuttgart is a lovely city with top-class infrastructure. It is mainly situated in a trough between hills, but a little of it also spreads out on the hills on either side. The railway station is impressive -has a comfortable feel to it. Koningstrasse(King street) reminded us of Vienna - cobbled road banned to vehicular traffic, with glittering shops on either side. The view of the palace from Koningstrasse was awesome!
The city of Heidelberg was simply beautiful! The The views of this charming town from the castle were majestic! Had it not been drizzling, we would have spent more time there, especially at its river front. The rides on the funicular on this trip - the first at Interlaken
and the second at Heidelberg are memorable. Transport is super too - trams and buses plying at regular intervals. The concept of day tickets in this country is so user-friendly: it allows you unlimited travel on local and regional trains anywhere within the state, from 09:00 a.m. to 03:00 a.m. the next day !! The ticket also includes local transport within a town or a city falling in that state!! Further, if a couple or a group is travelling, there is massive concession on the price of the ticket. For eg. the Baden-Wurttemberg(within which falls Stuttgart) day ticket costs 27 euros for a single traveller. If a couple is travelling, only 5 euros are added, that is, the ticket then costs only 32 euros! Hats off to Germany!!
Herrenberg (visited unintentionally!) was a wonderful surprise. Owing to the third disappointment of not being able to visit the Black Forest (a train being cancelled), we landed up at Herrenberg. The moment we alighted at the station with the town to our left and the open countryside to our right, amidst a light drizzle; we knew we had arrived at a special place. The town reminded us of Cesky Krumlov - cobbled streets with medieval houses on either side and very friendly locals. The walk to the church atop a hill, the cherries sampled at the town square, the typical half-timbered German buildings
(the buildings with the cross, in my language!) with sloping roofs, the flight of stairs leading up to the serene environs of the church, the calm and quiet broken only by the sweet chirping of birds hidden in the abundant greenery around; and the most brilliant view - 360 degrees - of the charming German countryside; all made us feel that we were in wonderland. The descent back into town was equally
mystical. The disappointment of having missed the Black Forest, vanished !
Sipping tap beer at the Signal Pub adjacent to platform No. 1 at Herrenberg on that cold afternoon, was an unparalleled experience. Urmila had coffee with biscuits - at the pub!
Ulm had its own charm - cobbled roads; buildings dating back to 1595; and the world's tallest church, the Ulm Munster; not to forget the Danube river flowing quietly with its adjoining path full of enthusiastic Sunday morning joggers and bicyclists. We saw the house where Albert Einstein was born. Schon Buch was petite but sweet. Eating lunch to the accompaniment of the chimes of a church bell every fifteen minutes and the absence of any other sound save our small talk, was a delightful experience.
The drive back to Stuttgart with the Salgarkars, with yellow carpets unrolled on either side of the autobahn, on that clear, bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, is etched in memory.
It was great renewing our acquaintance with Zurich. Explored the main part of the city this time - Bahnhofstrasse, the most 'happening' place of Zurich. The city has a very healthy blend of ancient and modern architecture, abundant greenery, a huge lake and the backdrop of snow-clad mountains. In a sense, this city is unique. Yet, I have not felt the warmth and welcome of Prague, here. Perhaps, we need to treat it as a destination rather than as a mere stopover. God willing, that will happen soon!
