In the Land of Alps

Switzerland, a nation renowned for its stunning landscapes, the towering Alps and rich heritage, offered us an unforgettable summer vacation. The fact that it was mine and my brother’s first international trip made us even more eager and excited! Our trip was filled with moments of awe, wonder and, of course, happiness! 

We began our adventure by visiting Schwarzwald, or Black Forest as people commonly call it. It is a dense, serene forest located in southwest Germany along the Swiss borders. It offered so much, that even my mother’s ever-clicking camera could not take it all in! After exploring the Black Forest, we visited Titisee, a village close by, to try the world famous Black Forest Cake. This cake, invented in this region itself, was delicious, with rich chocolate, fresh cherries and cream. 

The next day, we visited Interlaken, a picturesque town in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region of central Switzerland. Its name is derived from its position between lakes Brienz and Thun. We were all charmed by this town. Just strolling along the streets was as good as sightseeing, as the streets were well maintained, lined with colourful flowers. We visited the Giessbach Falls near Interlaken by boat. We enjoyed hiking up to the funiculaire station. ‘Funiculaire’ is French for ‘cable car’. We went back down on the funicular, taking in the beautiful panorama of the lake Brienz from above.

We took the train from Brienz station to Grindelwald, a pretty village with lush green meadows dotted with flowers. We stayed in a small chalet in Grindelwald. Our excursion the next day was to Jungfrau, the highest summit in Europe. We reached there, travelling by gondola and train. We saw real, live snow for the first time, much to our excitement! For us, who are used to seeing ice come only from our refrigerator, snow falling from the skies and covering lands was an out-of-world experience. We had a lot of fun, playing catch with snowballs and having snowball fights. We explored the ice palace in Jungfrau which had beautiful statues made out of ice! We went up to the Sphinx observatory which offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Our visit was truly wonderful and special.

The next day, we took a day trip to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. This city is charming with a medieval flair. We visited the house where the great scientist Albert Einstein lived. Zytglogge, which is one of Bern’s most recognisable symbols, with its 15th century astronomical clock, was something  we all admired greatly. We visited BarenPark, one of the most popular tourist spots in Bern. It is an enclosure which houses bears, located along the banks of the river Aar. It is a significant spot in Bern, as the bear has long served as the namesake, mascot and emblem of Bern. Our next visit in Bern was to the Federal Palace, Bern’s majestic parliament building.

We spent the next day visiting the WOW, the museum of optical illusions in Zurich. It is a great place to relax and have fun after a few hectic days. We solved visual puzzles, clicked illusionary pictures and had a great time. Then we visited the place I loved the most- the Lindt, Home of Chocolate. It is home to the world’s tallest chocolate fountain. The museum narrates the story of Mayan cocoa's conquest of Europe in the hands of Swiss chocolate pioneers. We found out that Swiss chocolate is not only rich and delicious, but also irresistible! We had multiple helpings of chocolate in different forms, shapes and varieties offered free for tasting. I shall never forget that taste.

Our next outing was to Mount Pilatus, which is one of the most legendary places in Central Switzerland. In 1421, Farmer Stemplin, of Neuenkirch, saw a dragon fly from the Rigi to Pilatus and let fall the dragon-stone, now said to be a meteorite and still to be seen in the natural history museum. In former days this stone had a considerable reputation as a cure for many ailments. We toured the Dragon Path, which is associated with myths of dragons living in crevices. We even tried to make snowmen and played in the snow.

Then came the most enjoyable train ride of my life so far- the ride from Chur to Tirano by the Bernina Express. The journey offered views of lush green mountains, meadows dotted with pretty flowers, gushing rivers, scenic villages and the most beautiful of them all- an icy glacier. At the peak of this train route we see all forms of water and all shades of white mixed up together in an unforgettable frame. After that mesmerising journey, we arrived at Tirano, a village in Italy. From Tirano, we went to Milan, one of the world’s four fashion capitals.

In Milan, we visited the world famous Leonardo da Vinci museum. Our visit to this museum was highly educational. The museum has seven departments, each with its own unique display. I liked the Leonardo da Vinci, Art and Science section the most. It has various models of machines reproduced from Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches. His notes cover inventions in multitudes of areas of knowledge like arts, warfare, anatomy and so on. Later on that day, we toured the Sforzesco castle, built in the 15th century. The museum of Sforzesco castle has paintings and sculptures about the life of Jesus Christ, tapestries, weapons from the olden days. It also has Michelangelo’s last sculpture- The Rondanini Pieta. On our second day in Milan, we visited the Duomo di Milano, the third largest church in the world. The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete. The intricate and grand building charmed us all greatly. The roof of the cathedral offers an amazing view of Milan. We all enjoyed touring Milan very much and were sad to leave it.

We spent the very last day of our trip in a treasure hunt. Foxtrail is a mixture of sightseeing, outdoor escape room and a scavenger hunt. We explored new and old towns of Zurich searching for clues and solving puzzles. Sometimes we got lost, could not solve the puzzle, or find the clue but we all had fun together. And that’s what matters. In the evening, we hiked up a hill to a restaurant to eat cheese fondue. Fondue is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a pot over a stove and eaten by dipping bread and sometimes vegetables into the cheese using long stemmed forks. The fondue was so delicious that we ate and ate and ate until our stomachs were stuffed full and we could not walk anymore. It was the best meal I had on our trip.

What made our trip more memorable was the organized public transport system and the clean and tidy surroundings in Switzerland. All the places that we visited were spick and span, which was a novelty to us. There was no garbage lying around. The water in the streams and rivers was so crystal clear that we would not have hesitated to drink it. The Zurich public transportation network has been around for over a 100 years. It is very efficient and accessible.

We stayed at my uncle's place during our stay in Zurich. I shall never forget the care and affection with which he and his wife hosted us. They were there to guide us and give us advice about which train to take, which is a good place for a meal and so. Even when we were planning our trip, they assisted us a lot. We enjoyed touring Schwarzwald, Interlaken and Jungfrau with them. Without their help and care this trip wouldn't be as enjoyable as it was.

Our trip to Switzerland was like a tapestry woven together with new experiences, joy and quality time spent with family. I shall always cherish those moments of fun, enjoyment and cheerfulness. Switzerland is not merely a destination, it is a symphony of natural beauty, culture and history that resonates long after the journey ends.