Category: South and Central Europe

Tales of my sojourn: Gallivanting around Europe – Italy and Switzerland

Jungfrau – A must do in every Wanderers List

My yearly vacation – which like every Wanderer, I really look forward to – heading away from the daily rigors – the stress, the constant emails, deadlines and more – and this time around, it was in the midst of rolling hills of Switzerland and the warm smiles of the Italians that held the promise of working its way into creating a whole new chapter in my travel diary.

What more could I ask for…a romantic sojourn with my wife, Kiran had us discovering the quaint and offbeat Italy and Switzerland – (Bellagiom Mennagio, Cadennabia in Italy ) and (Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lugano, Berne, Geneva, Locarno, Ascona in Switzerland) – a world away from the tourist traps!

Both of us are avid travelers – we love our sojourns to be quaint and unique – learning about cultures, flavors, the exotic – it’s what we believe travel should be all about.

Magical Berne – Rediscovering the old world charm

Switzerland –  to many may seem cliched as a getaway – but what I realized was that it’s a land of much more than mountains, cheese and gnomes.
It’s a revival of the senses.
It’s the crisp freshness of the air, the scent of pine, the riotous splash of wildflowers, and the taste of sweet milk straight from the cow…
It’s the chance to free yourself and seize the most from life, day after challenging day.”

Magical Ascona – a sojourn for every romantic soul

The gorgeous weather – Escaping the Indian summer, the weather was cold throughout between 6-18 degrees. We caught Jungfrau at -1 degrees which actually fell to -8 the next day. The cold winds made for a perfect mixture of snow sights melted into the greens of the mountains.

Stay at the swiss chalet – a must do

My first impression of the country: Diverse and beautiful, Switzerland has something for every traveler. A Must see on every Wanderer’s list, it changes from green to greener to greenest in the most serene ways.
Our first encounter was actually with Bellagio in Italy wherein the lake breeze shook us before we entered a very warm and friendly Italian culture.

Lake Como

And Italy – well, Lake Como was an irresistible choice because of the proximity to Southern Switzerland. But, the vibrant layers that unearthed along the way left us asking for more…

Capturing the essence of the country – When it comes to Switzerland, you cannot miss the fresh air and the pristine picture perfect surroundings. And you cannot help, but fall in love, with the fantastic cities – Berne and Geneva.

What I discovered was a wonderful way of life – which helps you reconnect – a slow pace of life. Walk, stop, look.The little villages – so laid out (a mixture of nature and nurture to be sure) that wherever you are, you can change your mind.  Walk further, linger over lunch, stop to look at the rare mountain flowers, watch the baby marmottes playing, picnic in the sun by a fresh water lake.

Savoring the Swiss icecream

Switzerland is all about feeling free. Within the multi-cultural population, in the air, in pursuit of interests, in variety, there is a smell of freedom within.

The mixture of a German, French, Romensch and Italian makes Switzerland a melting pot of various cultures and actually extracts the best out of them. Wherein we felt that Lugano was in Italy, Geneva seemed completely French.

Swiss chocolates and fondue landed in between our scenic drive between the villages.
And the Italians –

Their warmth envelops you…their loud emotions make you part of their gaiety, their food delights your soul, their fantastic architecture and beautiful lakes mesmerize you and their adventurous streak – ahhh…even before you know, you are waltzing along with them and their way of life. In fact, I’ve always felt the Italian demeanor to be a lot like our Indians.

Especially in Bellagio wherein the people aspect struck us most. From the receptionist to the cook, to the shopkeepers, everyone was extremely warm and with a ready smile.

A must experience:

Stay in the typical SWISS CHALET in Switzerland which is a page out of a fairy tale book.

In Italy, experience the animated conversation – of the people – really loud and very passionate – it is a sheer delight watching them.

Must savor: The Swiss Fondue

Swiss Fondue peppered with wine is delectable. Really delicious and we had it in the perfect setting of a Swiss Chalet in Cold Interlaken. Top it up with an ice-cream and it is the perfect recipe.

Savor the White Wine.
A whole new chapter in my travel diary:

The city walks of Berne and the panoramic view of the city. The Bears of Berne have a heritage and a great story to tell. The UNESCO World Heritage site is a must in any trip to Switzerland. The Berne City square which has the Big Clock is unforgettable

Getting up in the morning in Interlaken, peep outside the window and let the magic of the beautiful Jungfrau envelop you.

Trip into Ascona and Locarno from Lugano  – an off the beaten track – but sinfully beautiful. They resemble the villages of Italy through their beautiful architecture, lakeside walks and adorable city centers.

Visit Lake Brienz which would rank amongst the best lakes ever seen. It is actually the stillness of the lake which makes it absorb a really captivating blue color. An surreal and unforgettable experience.

My two week sojourn came to an end…but the memories still linger. Enjoying the long city walks and gazing up at the snow kissed rooftops in Winter is a sight which holds the promise of luring me back.

– Rishiraj Pruthi

 

 

About Rishiraj Pruthi

Family Man, avid traveler who loves his wife and his car (in that order!) – he believes in Wandering into the off beaten tracks and exploring the local culture and savoring every moment of his Wandering Ways. He celebrates life and believes in living every moment of it to the fullest!


 

Prague: Indeed the best…

 

The gorgeous city of Prague

When it comes to cities in Europe –  Paris, London, Berlin, Rome –  none of these well-known cities have really made it to being the most beautiful city in Europe.  Yes, these cities have their own charm and a sense of beauty and while it’s not easy to make a categorical statement, my recent trip to Prague put it right up there with the best in the continent.

(Disclaimer: I haven’t come close to seeing all the cities in Europe, but I do have to my credit a few sojourns.)

Prague is a very underrated city in the sense that it’s not usually the first place which comes to mind when one talks about Europe.

However, friends who had visited Prague vouched for it and this was my impetus to visit the city.

Once the center of the world, today, the city is bustling…It has seen many rulers in its time, and it’s only since 1989 – when Czechoslovakia became a democracy that Prague took off as a tourist destination.

Prague by midnight

What it has:  Gorgeous monuments, great architecture and one of the most thriving classical music scenes in Europe.

The gorgeous Jewish quarter, the old town square, the river side of Vlatva are just some of the main attractions of the city. I was fortunate enough to  experience the exceptional Royal Philharmonic perform Mozart and Strauss at the lovely Municipal House.

I’m no classical music aficionado, but these guys were real professionals. The ballet and singing also added to the experience, but for me the music was the standout aspect.

I’m reliably told that Prague has a great nightlife, but sadly that’s not my thing. Whatever be the status of Prague as a hip night spot, Prague the city, is breathtaking at night. No photograph does justice to the skyline as you walk along the river – the castle on a hill in the distance, the illuminated buildings and bridges.

Decadent Delight

The food wasn’t spectacular in the Italian sense of the word. But it was very good. We went to a restaurant named after Marie Antoinette’s mother, which we were told serves traditional Czech food. Although we did play it safe by ordering pork goulash and a solid Czech beer, the food was wholesome, the meat tender, the service hospitable and the Medovnik (a honey cake topped with crushed walnuts) a delight. The white bread dumplings served alongside the bread reminded me of sannas served at Mangalorean dinners, as an accompaniment  with curry. There are also local liqueurs to be sampled – the Becherovka flavoured with cinnamon, anise seed and more herbs is one potent combination.

The people. Hmm… that’s an interesting one. Perhaps because I travelled from the Netherlands, the people came across as not particularly friendly. They weren’t courteous, but were never really rude either. They didn’t smile so much, but the fact that they don’t speak much English also adds to the distance. But at no point did we feel unwelcome or unsafe, even though we walked in the city till past midnight. I read only after my trip that the city has some problems with pick pocketing. Thankfully I didn’t experience it firsthand.

A relatively cheap city as far as Europe goes, especially for food and drink, although I have heard of restaurants overcharging people by charging them double tax as well as taxi drivers taking tourists for a ride.

One thing you shouldn’t try to do in Prague is try to pronounce all the names. Many words and names sound like they are missing vowels, but don’t tell the locals that. They probably know their spellings.

All in all, Prague’s a gorgeous city – worth visiting and spending time in. I know I’m going there a second time!

Rohan is a full-time employee of a large multinational and a blogger who doesn’t blog so much anymore (blog URL: https://blog.rohandsa.com/). He is based in the Netherlands and is @doomoo on Twitter. For more about him, visit: https://blog.rohandsa.com/p/about-me.html