The three of us embarked on new adventure in 2019, this time making landfall in mainland Europe - France and Switzerland! Europe is a quintessential travel destination, and I had been wanting to visit for quite a few years. However, other trips (Road Trip 1, Road Trip 2, Alaska trip) and I guess just life, had gotten in the way so far :) Abhishek had been to Europe multiple times as a teenager, and I was looking forward to visiting places from his reminiscences. I was telling Abhishek, I had barely seen 2 cities by the time I was a toddler, and had to wait xx years to visit Europe, and look at Vihaan - he is toddling in Europe!
Our trip to Europe exceeded my already very high expectations! France, Paris especially, was a feast for the senses - with historic, ornate monuments, gourmet culinary experiences, haute fashion, rich music and art experiences, enveloped in an explosion of bright, summer colors. Switzerland with it's soaring snow covered peaks, lush valleys and turquoise lakes was a completely different experience. The Swiss villages took my breath away - they can serve as a picture postcard for this beautiful planet!
This blog recounts our wonderful trip! This was our itinerary:
Our trip to Europe exceeded my already very high expectations! France, Paris especially, was a feast for the senses - with historic, ornate monuments, gourmet culinary experiences, haute fashion, rich music and art experiences, enveloped in an explosion of bright, summer colors. Switzerland with it's soaring snow covered peaks, lush valleys and turquoise lakes was a completely different experience. The Swiss villages took my breath away - they can serve as a picture postcard for this beautiful planet!
This blog recounts our wonderful trip! This was our itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrive in Paris
- Day 2: Versailles
- Day 3: Paris
- Day 4: Drive to Interlaken, with a stopover at Geneva
- Day 5: Swiss Villages
- Day 6: Furka Pass, Lucerne and Zurich
- Day 7: Golden Pass Train
- Day 8: Milan
- Day 9: Drive back to Paris, fly out the next day.
Day 1: Arrive in Paris
We were making preparing and preparing some more the week before leaving, so that our trip would be steamlined. The first day however was chaos. I can safely say we have not had a more chaotic day on any trip! We had a connection from SF to Paris that was about 2.5 hours long, which in most cases is plenty of time. Our flight from SF was more than 1.5 hours delayed. When our flight landed I picked up Vihaan and ran and Abhishek was running behind us with our carry-on luggage and stroller in tow. They were announcing our name on the overhead speakers, which came as a shock to me when I realized - oh, that is my name, it's just never been pronounced that way! The saving grace was there were other folks making the same connection whose name was announced a few times, though that stopped quickly as presumably they made it faster to the gate. The flight attended was literally standing in the hallway waiting for us.
We high fived when we got into the flight (hey, we'll take our wins when we get them!), and the rest of the flight was quite pleasant.
When we arrived in Paris, more welcome to Paris events unfolded. We were told Vihaan's stroller has gone to Amsterdam! The lost baggage agent told us with a straight face that there is only 70% chance of the stroller making it back to Paris. Further questions were answered with - we will call you. Abhishek and I bid adieu to our stroller, thanking it for all the trips it has ferried our baby.
And then there was more (to make our arrival truly unforgettable). We had booked a rental car online to be picked up from the Paris airport. When we arrived to pick it up, we found our car had been cancelled. Abhishek was running around speaking to other agencies, while Vihaan and I were standing in the scorching sun (well I was mostly running around after Vihaan, while trying to keep within a reasonable radius of our luggage). We finally got an Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Abhishek perked up after this since this car is one of Jeremy Clarkson's favorite cars (Jeremy Clarkson is the host of The Grand Tour).
We then went to a fairly large mall close to the airport to buy a new stroller. Turned out there was exactly one store with exactly one overpriced travel stroller. I guess lesser (or exactly one) option does make shopping fast, even if it is shopping with regret.
At what seemed long last, we arrived at our cute Paris apartment. Our apartment was right on Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous avenues in the world, which runs through the heart of Paris.
The vibrant environment all around - tourists walking and taking pictures, street vendors selling souvenirs, people shopping, delicious smells wafting from restaurants, got us energized inspite of our long day. We freshened up, grabbed a quick bite, and stepped out to embrace the magic of Paris!
We high fived when we got into the flight (hey, we'll take our wins when we get them!), and the rest of the flight was quite pleasant.
When we arrived in Paris, more welcome to Paris events unfolded. We were told Vihaan's stroller has gone to Amsterdam! The lost baggage agent told us with a straight face that there is only 70% chance of the stroller making it back to Paris. Further questions were answered with - we will call you. Abhishek and I bid adieu to our stroller, thanking it for all the trips it has ferried our baby.
And then there was more (to make our arrival truly unforgettable). We had booked a rental car online to be picked up from the Paris airport. When we arrived to pick it up, we found our car had been cancelled. Abhishek was running around speaking to other agencies, while Vihaan and I were standing in the scorching sun (well I was mostly running around after Vihaan, while trying to keep within a reasonable radius of our luggage). We finally got an Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Abhishek perked up after this since this car is one of Jeremy Clarkson's favorite cars (Jeremy Clarkson is the host of The Grand Tour).
We then went to a fairly large mall close to the airport to buy a new stroller. Turned out there was exactly one store with exactly one overpriced travel stroller. I guess lesser (or exactly one) option does make shopping fast, even if it is shopping with regret.
At what seemed long last, we arrived at our cute Paris apartment. Our apartment was right on Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous avenues in the world, which runs through the heart of Paris.
The vibrant environment all around - tourists walking and taking pictures, street vendors selling souvenirs, people shopping, delicious smells wafting from restaurants, got us energized inspite of our long day. We freshened up, grabbed a quick bite, and stepped out to embrace the magic of Paris!
Champs-Élysées
An overhead shot of Champs-Élysées
An overhead shot of Champs-Élysées
(By Josh Hallett - Flickr: The Champs, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19231465)
Champs-Élysées connects some of the most famous monuments in Paris - Arc de Triomphe and Louvre among them. It is also home to flagship stores of numerous luxury brands - Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Apple, Rolex among others. Champs-Élysées is also the finishing point of the Tour de France bicycle race.
We had a great time strolling down the avenue. If Paris is among the most fashionable places on earth, Champs-Élysées is one of the most fashionable places in Paris we saw. Ladies, gents and kids were all chic, wearing the latest trends, against the backdrop of an old and beautiful city.
We had a great time strolling down the avenue. If Paris is among the most fashionable places on earth, Champs-Élysées is one of the most fashionable places in Paris we saw. Ladies, gents and kids were all chic, wearing the latest trends, against the backdrop of an old and beautiful city.
Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe is one of the major French monuments along Champs-Élysées. It was just a few minutes from our apartment, and that was our first pit stop in France! It was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory in Battle of Austerlitz. The Arc de Triomphe today serves as a monument to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Napoleonic wars and the French Revolution.
There are four sculptures on the Arc, each depicting different causes. One of them was particularly striking. Le Depart shows men - young and old, carrying shields and ancient weapons, depicting the citizen army that was put together during an invasion. It reminded me of the movies from World War 2, where all men - old, young and mere boys, were eventually sucked into war :(
Around the Arc de Triomphe is a cobblestone roundabout where there was traffic whizzing about. It was a poetic site - large reliefs of old men on chariots on the Arc while young men whizzed about on motorbikes around! Tom Cruise apparenetly has a scene in Mission Impossible whizzing around Arc de Triomphe as well. The speed of Abhishek's recollection made me think he has watched this movie too many times :)
Here are some sunny pictures of us at the Arc De Triomphe:
Arc de Triomphe is one of the major French monuments along Champs-Élysées. It was just a few minutes from our apartment, and that was our first pit stop in France! It was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory in Battle of Austerlitz. The Arc de Triomphe today serves as a monument to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Napoleonic wars and the French Revolution.
There are four sculptures on the Arc, each depicting different causes. One of them was particularly striking. Le Depart shows men - young and old, carrying shields and ancient weapons, depicting the citizen army that was put together during an invasion. It reminded me of the movies from World War 2, where all men - old, young and mere boys, were eventually sucked into war :(
Around the Arc de Triomphe is a cobblestone roundabout where there was traffic whizzing about. It was a poetic site - large reliefs of old men on chariots on the Arc while young men whizzed about on motorbikes around! Tom Cruise apparenetly has a scene in Mission Impossible whizzing around Arc de Triomphe as well. The speed of Abhishek's recollection made me think he has watched this movie too many times :)
Here are some sunny pictures of us at the Arc De Triomphe:
Grand and Petite Palais
We continued our stroll on Champs-Élysées, stopping at a garden along the avenue. There were some slides here so we played with Vihaan a bit. We then left the park and went to Grand Palais. There when I was looking for water to give Vihaan, we realized we had left our backpack in the park! I sprinted back to the park and Abhishek was rushing behind me, pushing Vihaan in the stroller. Thankfully we found our backpack lying there. Whew!
Still undaunted, we continued our excursion. We took a quick look at both Palais (french for palace). Here is a picture in front of Petite Palais.
We continued our stroll on Champs-Élysées, stopping at a garden along the avenue. There were some slides here so we played with Vihaan a bit. We then left the park and went to Grand Palais. There when I was looking for water to give Vihaan, we realized we had left our backpack in the park! I sprinted back to the park and Abhishek was rushing behind me, pushing Vihaan in the stroller. Thankfully we found our backpack lying there. Whew!
Still undaunted, we continued our excursion. We took a quick look at both Palais (french for palace). Here is a picture in front of Petite Palais.
Pont Alexandre III
We then strolled across the Pont Alexandre ||| bridge, which spans the river Seine connecting the Grand and Petite Palais on one side, and the Invalides on the other. Paris is such a picturesque city - there are grand monuments with ornately carved sculptures every where you look! Even the police station looks so grand, you feel like the thugs inside will be in top coats! It is an extravagant bridge - tall lamps lined the bridge and a gilded statue of a winged horse led by a triumphant lady were mounted on tall pillars at both ends of the bridge.
We then strolled across the Pont Alexandre ||| bridge, which spans the river Seine connecting the Grand and Petite Palais on one side, and the Invalides on the other. Paris is such a picturesque city - there are grand monuments with ornately carved sculptures every where you look! Even the police station looks so grand, you feel like the thugs inside will be in top coats! It is an extravagant bridge - tall lamps lined the bridge and a gilded statue of a winged horse led by a triumphant lady were mounted on tall pillars at both ends of the bridge.
Invalides
Our final stop for our amazing first day in Paris (despite the rocky start) was Les Invalides. Les Invalides was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to honor soldiers who lost their lives, and as a hospital to treat war veterans. The complex of buildings has an impressive facade housing a military hospital even today. There is a large park in the front and we stopped there to grab some snacks. Vihaan is running around with this snack box in the picture below. He also spotted a young French girl just about his age, and the two even hugged! Perhaps they were both glad to see someone their size in the stream of visitors!
Our final stop for our amazing first day in Paris (despite the rocky start) was Les Invalides. Les Invalides was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to honor soldiers who lost their lives, and as a hospital to treat war veterans. The complex of buildings has an impressive facade housing a military hospital even today. There is a large park in the front and we stopped there to grab some snacks. Vihaan is running around with this snack box in the picture below. He also spotted a young French girl just about his age, and the two even hugged! Perhaps they were both glad to see someone their size in the stream of visitors!
Day 2: Versailles
After an exciting day 1, we all crashed when we got back to our apartment. The apartment had metallic blinds that completely cut off any light (which at the time, we thought was a good thing). We had a timed ticketed entry for Versailles at 2pm the next day. And, believe it or not we got up at 2pm the next day! Vihaan got up once or twice in the night, and we told him it is still night, go back to sleep. Abhishek checked the time on his phone at said it is 2am - he then shot upright and said, wait - I checked the time earlier and it was 2 then, so this must be 2pm!
Still undaunted, we hurriedly dressed up and set out to revel in the opulence of the Palace of Versailles! We arrived in style!
Still undaunted, we hurriedly dressed up and set out to revel in the opulence of the Palace of Versailles! We arrived in style!
Sunny pictures in front of the palace:
Versailles was the seat of the French throne from the late 17th century (1689) till the French Revolution in 1789. Versailles has a storied history, which started with a humble hunting lodge in that location. King Louis XII converted the hunting lodge into chateau after he defeated a plot to overthrow him, which was lead by none other than his mother!
His son Louis XIV visited the chateau a few times during his youth, and after being crowned king decided to convert the chateau into a palace. As the King increasingly spent his days at Versailles, the the palace was expanded to accommodate members of the government, courtiers and others, who numbered several thousands.
Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great, was the longest serving monarch in European history. He was a masterful ruler. He invested heavily in making the Palace of Versailles the most opulent and lavish in the land and compelled members of the French nobility to live there, and many of these members had previously rebelled against him in various coups. He seduced them to his lavish palace, prohibited their private armies, and reduced them to mere courtiers. He was very shrewd, placing intelligent commoners in important positions, judging that they would serve him better, would be less likely rebel and could be easily dismissed. Louis's victory over the nobility reduced the number of civil wars in France drastically, which was instrumental in enabling his long tenure - his success is perhaps the best validation of "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer!" Warfare was the primary policy of his government - if he wasn't fighting in one, he was preparing for one!
Pictures at the palace entrance:
His son Louis XIV visited the chateau a few times during his youth, and after being crowned king decided to convert the chateau into a palace. As the King increasingly spent his days at Versailles, the the palace was expanded to accommodate members of the government, courtiers and others, who numbered several thousands.
Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great, was the longest serving monarch in European history. He was a masterful ruler. He invested heavily in making the Palace of Versailles the most opulent and lavish in the land and compelled members of the French nobility to live there, and many of these members had previously rebelled against him in various coups. He seduced them to his lavish palace, prohibited their private armies, and reduced them to mere courtiers. He was very shrewd, placing intelligent commoners in important positions, judging that they would serve him better, would be less likely rebel and could be easily dismissed. Louis's victory over the nobility reduced the number of civil wars in France drastically, which was instrumental in enabling his long tenure - his success is perhaps the best validation of "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer!" Warfare was the primary policy of his government - if he wasn't fighting in one, he was preparing for one!
Pictures at the palace entrance:
,The most important message the "Sun King" wanted to send with the architecture of Versailles was his ultimate power, absolutism and untouchability, far removed from the common man's life. It was also used as a symbol to showcase the wealth of France.
The palace is spread out over a staggering 63,000 sq. ft, with 2300 rooms! Maybe there were multiple "You are here" maps across the palace - probably written in gold and framed in diamonds :)
The palace is beautiful - there are soaring ceilings decked with beautiful murals, sweeping staircases with majestic statues and gold plated ornate embellishments. The four poster bed was huge, I was thinking a courtier isn't twice the size of a poor man! Other thoughts that were going through my mind - at any one time a man can only sleep in one bed, eat out of one plate and sit in one car. Money is a man-made concept, sometimes I think people don't know what to do with too much money which is why commercialization exists. For instance, however rich you are, you cannot hoard on food - you can only eat so much, and it goes bad as well.
Musings apart, here is a picture of the soulful Versailles Cathedral, and some pictures inside the palace.
The palace is spread out over a staggering 63,000 sq. ft, with 2300 rooms! Maybe there were multiple "You are here" maps across the palace - probably written in gold and framed in diamonds :)
The palace is beautiful - there are soaring ceilings decked with beautiful murals, sweeping staircases with majestic statues and gold plated ornate embellishments. The four poster bed was huge, I was thinking a courtier isn't twice the size of a poor man! Other thoughts that were going through my mind - at any one time a man can only sleep in one bed, eat out of one plate and sit in one car. Money is a man-made concept, sometimes I think people don't know what to do with too much money which is why commercialization exists. For instance, however rich you are, you cannot hoard on food - you can only eat so much, and it goes bad as well.
Musings apart, here is a picture of the soulful Versailles Cathedral, and some pictures inside the palace.
The Hall of Mirrors is one of the main attractions of the palace. The expansive hallway has large windows on one side, mirrors on the other, and beautiful chandliers hanging from the ceiling along the length of the hallway. It seems when the hallway was built mirrors were as expensive as diamonds!
The Versailles gardens are as striking as the Palace itself. They took 40 years to complete! Completed over a period of 40 years (!), the 'Sun' King valued the gardens as much of the palace, and each expansion of the palace had a corresponding expansion of the gardens. Spread over a sprawling 1976 acres, there are 200k flowers and trees planted every year! The garden boasts a slew of great features - there are immaculately maintained, symmetric lawns - the grass was cut in the same circle and triangular shapes on both sides, and the pine trees length and width were exactly matching on both sides. It must be someone's full time job to just monitor a few plants growth every day! A gigantic canal runs a good length of the gardens and musical fountains are all around.
I think everyone who emerged from the jam packed castle looked happy to jump into the scorching sun to get away from their neighbor! We were happy to get some breathing room as well, and Vihaan also ran around quite a bit.
Some pictures from the gardens:
I think everyone who emerged from the jam packed castle looked happy to jump into the scorching sun to get away from their neighbor! We were happy to get some breathing room as well, and Vihaan also ran around quite a bit.
Some pictures from the gardens:
We had a nice lunch in the gardens. The gardens have pretty musical fountains around, Vihaan actually danced in front of one, much to the amusement of onlookers. After a nice day at Versailles, we headed back to the city for an evening at the Eiffel Tower!
The tower needs no introduction - it is the most visited paid monument in the world!
One of my favorite pictures from this trip, with my little love:
The tower needs no introduction - it is the most visited paid monument in the world!
One of my favorite pictures from this trip, with my little love:
Other pictures in front of the tower.
The tower has a very different feel during the day and after dark. I am glad we stayed after sunset, the the lights make the surroundings magical!
Paris was magical at night - beautiful fountains came alive with light and music, gold colored murals on bridges over the Seine were twinkling under flickering lights, sounds and laughter floated up from restaurants along the river, young love were holding hands walking on narrow, cobblestone pathways, mature love held hands and pushed a stroller, and the youngest of all was gawking with his mouth open at everything, giggling occasionally! There is a reason for the existence of a move called Midnight in Paris :)
Smiling broadly, our hearts full with the day's beautiful sights and sounds, we walked back to our apartment. I am so glad we had an apartment right in the middle of the city - we got a chance to immerse ourselves, however briefly, in the enchanting city of Paris.
Paris was magical at night - beautiful fountains came alive with light and music, gold colored murals on bridges over the Seine were twinkling under flickering lights, sounds and laughter floated up from restaurants along the river, young love were holding hands walking on narrow, cobblestone pathways, mature love held hands and pushed a stroller, and the youngest of all was gawking with his mouth open at everything, giggling occasionally! There is a reason for the existence of a move called Midnight in Paris :)
Smiling broadly, our hearts full with the day's beautiful sights and sounds, we walked back to our apartment. I am so glad we had an apartment right in the middle of the city - we got a chance to immerse ourselves, however briefly, in the enchanting city of Paris.
Day 3: Paris
The next day was spent walking around Paris, and seeing various sights. Abhishek always says the best way to experience a city is by walking, and a country by driving. I used to think initially that this is an inefficient way to see places - you spend so much time getting there. But now after some travels, I do agree with Abhishek, you really get a good feel for the place when you walk/drive - you observe and experience so many little things that eventually make up more memories about a trip than the touristy spots. A recent quote I read put this beautifully - You live through brief experiences, it is only later that you realize the value of those moments in making your memories!
Plus touristy spots are starting to look better in DSLRs than in person, without the crowds and potentially bad weather. Another thought worth ruminating over - in many parts of the world you no longer see anything for the first time. So there is limited opportunity for wonder, and it besomes more about meeting expectations. Compare this to Vihaan's experience - everything was new, fresh, and viewed with wonder! Vihaan's wonder has been such a joy for me to experience!
After a leisurely breakfast, we embarked on our walking tour of Paris. Walking through cities is one of my favorite parts of travel - it's nice to see the architecture, how people eat and live, visit different neighborhoods, do some shopping and have good food! We walked from our apartment along Champs Elysees towards the Louvre.
Our first stop was Place de la Concorde. It is a large public square with fountains and some large stone structures on both ends.
Plus touristy spots are starting to look better in DSLRs than in person, without the crowds and potentially bad weather. Another thought worth ruminating over - in many parts of the world you no longer see anything for the first time. So there is limited opportunity for wonder, and it besomes more about meeting expectations. Compare this to Vihaan's experience - everything was new, fresh, and viewed with wonder! Vihaan's wonder has been such a joy for me to experience!
After a leisurely breakfast, we embarked on our walking tour of Paris. Walking through cities is one of my favorite parts of travel - it's nice to see the architecture, how people eat and live, visit different neighborhoods, do some shopping and have good food! We walked from our apartment along Champs Elysees towards the Louvre.
Our first stop was Place de la Concorde. It is a large public square with fountains and some large stone structures on both ends.
Louvre
Our next stop was the Louvre! It is the largest art museum in the world displaying over 380,000 objects, 35,000 paintings, including the Mona Lisa!
In front of the iconic Louvre pyramid.
Our next stop was the Louvre! It is the largest art museum in the world displaying over 380,000 objects, 35,000 paintings, including the Mona Lisa!
In front of the iconic Louvre pyramid.
The Louvre was the seat of the French throne for over a 100 years, before the Sun King moved the King's primary residence to Versailles. It was originally built as a castle in the 12th century to protect the city from English Soldiers. Over the next few centuries, the castle lost its defensive position as the city grew around it, and was converted into the King's residence with several grand expansions. The displays inside are phenomenal, it needs multiple days to complete. We had a lovely few hours at the Louvre.
We almost pick pocketed at the Louvre, while we were busy taking a photo of the majestic view. Our stroller was right by us and our bags were placed on the it. Unknown to us a man slowly came close to our stroller, pretending to take a selfie, and almost pulled out something from our bag. A family sitting nearby rushed to us, and stopped the man. Whew!
We almost pick pocketed at the Louvre, while we were busy taking a photo of the majestic view. Our stroller was right by us and our bags were placed on the it. Unknown to us a man slowly came close to our stroller, pretending to take a selfie, and almost pulled out something from our bag. A family sitting nearby rushed to us, and stopped the man. Whew!
Notre Dame
We then walked to the beautiful Notre Dame cathedral. Notre-Dame means "Our Lady" in French, and fittingly is consecrated to the Virgin Mary. The castle is a fine example of French-Gothic architecture. When we visited the cathedral was closed due to extensive damage caused by a raging fire (which lasted 15 hours!). Apparently the French parliament passed a law requiring restoration to be done to match the original structure, rejecting many proposals to modernize the church's design.
Our pic in front of the cathedral:
We then walked to the beautiful Notre Dame cathedral. Notre-Dame means "Our Lady" in French, and fittingly is consecrated to the Virgin Mary. The castle is a fine example of French-Gothic architecture. When we visited the cathedral was closed due to extensive damage caused by a raging fire (which lasted 15 hours!). Apparently the French parliament passed a law requiring restoration to be done to match the original structure, rejecting many proposals to modernize the church's design.
Our pic in front of the cathedral:
Sainte-Chappel
Our next stop was the Sainte-Chappel, which was the royal chapel within the complex of the King's residence until the 14th century. It seems like every century or so French kings got tired of their digs (forget the fact that the palace was customized to their needs with grandeur everywhere, or maybe it was their grandpa's design, which is why they didn't want to settle?), and moved and built a new palace/castle. We visited at least a few - this was a King's palace, and the new identity is this - in Paris :) This is a phenomenon I hadn't seen before, India has a ton of castles and palaces, but generation after generation stayed put! We visited London the previous year, and King's didn't move around there either, as far as I remember.
The chapel is inside the castle. It isn't very big, but it is beautiful inside.
Our next stop was the Sainte-Chappel, which was the royal chapel within the complex of the King's residence until the 14th century. It seems like every century or so French kings got tired of their digs (forget the fact that the palace was customized to their needs with grandeur everywhere, or maybe it was their grandpa's design, which is why they didn't want to settle?), and moved and built a new palace/castle. We visited at least a few - this was a King's palace, and the new identity is this - in Paris :) This is a phenomenon I hadn't seen before, India has a ton of castles and palaces, but generation after generation stayed put! We visited London the previous year, and King's didn't move around there either, as far as I remember.
The chapel is inside the castle. It isn't very big, but it is beautiful inside.
Outside the chapel
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
We then walked across the Seine to the northern periphery of Paris to visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The Basilica was quite far from the other tourist attractions and in not a great part of town. It was also very crowded, was difficult to get to the top and had street hawkers everywhere. In hindsight, we could have skipped this attraction. The one upside of walking to the Basilica was that we could experience both the touristy and the non-touristy sides of Paris, and they are quite different, each with their own charms. On the way we stopped at a nice restaurant on the Seine and had some delicious crepes! We also bought some lovely paintings from a store along the river.
We then walked across the Seine to the northern periphery of Paris to visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The Basilica was quite far from the other tourist attractions and in not a great part of town. It was also very crowded, was difficult to get to the top and had street hawkers everywhere. In hindsight, we could have skipped this attraction. The one upside of walking to the Basilica was that we could experience both the touristy and the non-touristy sides of Paris, and they are quite different, each with their own charms. On the way we stopped at a nice restaurant on the Seine and had some delicious crepes! We also bought some lovely paintings from a store along the river.
When the French lost the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 a Bishop in France proclaimed that the defeat came as a result of a moral decline in the French society, and the idea of building a Basilica was to serve as a national penance for the defeat. Today the Basilica serves as a tribute to the soldiers lost at war.
The Basilica stands at the summit of Montmarte which is the second highest point in the city (after the Eiffel Tower), so you can see it from quite a distance away. It is majestic and a bright white in color, so on the sunny day we visited, it shone against the blue sky! It is made of a white stone from the quarries in Souppes, which releases calcite when it rains, so the Basilica cleans itself!
Some pictures around the Basilica:
The Basilica stands at the summit of Montmarte which is the second highest point in the city (after the Eiffel Tower), so you can see it from quite a distance away. It is majestic and a bright white in color, so on the sunny day we visited, it shone against the blue sky! It is made of a white stone from the quarries in Souppes, which releases calcite when it rains, so the Basilica cleans itself!
Some pictures around the Basilica:
As you can see Vihaan is having a comfy nap in his reclining stroller!
Our hearts full, we walked back to our apartment with the beautiful view of the sun setting over the river Seine.
Our hearts full, we walked back to our apartment with the beautiful view of the sun setting over the river Seine.
Day 4: En-route to Switzerland
We were supposed to spend Day 4 in Paris as well. However we were able to visit most of the places we wanted to in the previous days, so we decided the make the most of our Europe trip and head to Switzerland a day earlier. Vihaan's red stroller which was mistakenly sent off to Amsterdam (you will know if you have been reading this blog post carefully!) arrived late the previous night. It was the icing on the cake of a beautiful day. We all perked up, particularly Vihaan, who was thrilled to see his red stroller and insisted on sitting in it, in the middle of the apartment!
We said our goodbyes the next morning to our cute little Paris apartment, and drove off to Interlaken - which is at the heart of the Alps!
We stopped at Geneva on the way from Paris to Interlaken. We took the highway from Paris, and the drive was pretty pedestrian. On the way back from Interlaken to Paris, we took smaller country roads and stopped in small French villages enroute, that drive was much prettier (you will see pictures as you read on)!
Geneva has a large fountain in the center of the city - the Jet d'Eau (which means Water Jet). This is the one of the main attractions in the city. I was amused by what struck me as a stark difference between the practicality of the Swiss and the romanticism of the French - the Swiss named the most important fountain in their city Water Jet, while in Versailles each of the 55 fountains (some of which were pretty small), had a fancy name!
A picture in front of Jet d'Eau:
We said our goodbyes the next morning to our cute little Paris apartment, and drove off to Interlaken - which is at the heart of the Alps!
We stopped at Geneva on the way from Paris to Interlaken. We took the highway from Paris, and the drive was pretty pedestrian. On the way back from Interlaken to Paris, we took smaller country roads and stopped in small French villages enroute, that drive was much prettier (you will see pictures as you read on)!
Geneva has a large fountain in the center of the city - the Jet d'Eau (which means Water Jet). This is the one of the main attractions in the city. I was amused by what struck me as a stark difference between the practicality of the Swiss and the romanticism of the French - the Swiss named the most important fountain in their city Water Jet, while in Versailles each of the 55 fountains (some of which were pretty small), had a fancy name!
A picture in front of Jet d'Eau:
As we crossed the border into Switzerland the mountains slowly started getting taller. We arrived at our chalet late in the evening. Some pictures around our cute chalet:
After a nice dinner we tucked in quickly, eagerly waiting for the adventures to come the next day.
Day 5: Swiss Villages
Day 5 was one of the best days of our trip. The Swiss countryside is something you have to experience in person (Shah Rukh Khan just couldn't get enough looks like, so many movies of his were shot there that he has an honorary photo on one of the Swiss mountain peaks!).
Day 5 saw us visit charming villages nestled high up among soaring, snow capped mountains, reflecting off sparkling turquoise lakes on the valley floor, all enveloped in lush greenery! Some of these villages are pretty remote and you can only reach them by mountain train, cable car or on foot.
Day 5 saw us visit charming villages nestled high up among soaring, snow capped mountains, reflecting off sparkling turquoise lakes on the valley floor, all enveloped in lush greenery! Some of these villages are pretty remote and you can only reach them by mountain train, cable car or on foot.
We visited four Swiss villages - Lauterbrunnen, Gimmelwald, Wengen and Murren. One was nestled in the mountains, another was in a valley, and one was close to a glacier - so we got a unique perspective of the Alps from each village.
A majority of the Swiss villages started out as farming communities. Visitors started arriving in the early 19th century and hotels were built by the middle of the century. By the 20th century, tourism was the primary driver of the economy - ski aficionados flocked to the Alps in the winter, and hikers enjoyed the beauty of the Alps in the summer. I could just see Heidi and Peter running down the mountain with goat cheese stuffed in their mouths!
You can either zip to many Swiss villages by cable car or train, or choose to walk from one to the next. We choose to walk through Swiss villages, eating at local cafes/coffee shops, stopping to admire tiny waterfalls, walking down mountains and just spending time admiring the scenery. It was an enriching experience! Here we are walking down the first village, which was high up on a mountain.
A majority of the Swiss villages started out as farming communities. Visitors started arriving in the early 19th century and hotels were built by the middle of the century. By the 20th century, tourism was the primary driver of the economy - ski aficionados flocked to the Alps in the winter, and hikers enjoyed the beauty of the Alps in the summer. I could just see Heidi and Peter running down the mountain with goat cheese stuffed in their mouths!
You can either zip to many Swiss villages by cable car or train, or choose to walk from one to the next. We choose to walk through Swiss villages, eating at local cafes/coffee shops, stopping to admire tiny waterfalls, walking down mountains and just spending time admiring the scenery. It was an enriching experience! Here we are walking down the first village, which was high up on a mountain.
Pretty village!
Lush green countryside.
Running around in lush greenery!
Enveloped in a beautiful valley!
The dedication of the Swiss to preserve the natural environment around them is commendable. The Swiss countryside, lakes and mountains feel pristine, untouched and unpolluted. It isn't by accident - natural preservation has become an integral part of Swiss communities and have forged the national sprit. Switzerland has among the world's strictest guidelines on urbanization, protection of thretened species, CO2 emissions, waste and recycling, among others.
If you observe carefully, the Swiss countryside is not naturally wild - you will see no dead trees, bald or bare spots in the grass, unsightly rocks or patches of weeds. Trees and bushes are beautifully trimmed, lush green mowed grass covers the countryside, and balcony planters outside cottages overflow with red geraniums. We saw huge lawnmowers mowing mountains! The government and Swiss citizens have come together to put in constant and considerable effort to maintain the environment, all while local population, tourism and pollution have steadily increased in the world. And they charge for their efforts! Switzerland is among the most expensive countries in the world! Accommodation, transport, visiting tourist spots and food all cost much more than neighboring countries.
However, reflecting on the Swiss mentality, I feel this is a good principle by which to live - live a high quality life - expect and give your best! A prime example of this is the iPhone - it is an atrociously expensive phone, but is absolutely delightful - I am a big Apple fan! Comparing our Switzerland vacation experience with mediocre experiences we have had at other places - some places were way cheaper, but there was something or the other lacking, and I cannot recommend them whole heartedly. The Swiss mentality extends to other areas as well - Switzerland has an outsized GDP compared to it's population, it has a great universities (ETH and Lausanne), internationally renowned companies - Rolex, Nestle, Novartis and the lowest crime rate in the world. Overall I loved our Swiss experience, and think everyone should visit Switzerland at least once - it is breathtakingly beautiful, and we left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!
If you observe carefully, the Swiss countryside is not naturally wild - you will see no dead trees, bald or bare spots in the grass, unsightly rocks or patches of weeds. Trees and bushes are beautifully trimmed, lush green mowed grass covers the countryside, and balcony planters outside cottages overflow with red geraniums. We saw huge lawnmowers mowing mountains! The government and Swiss citizens have come together to put in constant and considerable effort to maintain the environment, all while local population, tourism and pollution have steadily increased in the world. And they charge for their efforts! Switzerland is among the most expensive countries in the world! Accommodation, transport, visiting tourist spots and food all cost much more than neighboring countries.
However, reflecting on the Swiss mentality, I feel this is a good principle by which to live - live a high quality life - expect and give your best! A prime example of this is the iPhone - it is an atrociously expensive phone, but is absolutely delightful - I am a big Apple fan! Comparing our Switzerland vacation experience with mediocre experiences we have had at other places - some places were way cheaper, but there was something or the other lacking, and I cannot recommend them whole heartedly. The Swiss mentality extends to other areas as well - Switzerland has an outsized GDP compared to it's population, it has a great universities (ETH and Lausanne), internationally renowned companies - Rolex, Nestle, Novartis and the lowest crime rate in the world. Overall I loved our Swiss experience, and think everyone should visit Switzerland at least once - it is breathtakingly beautiful, and we left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!
Day 6: Furka Pass, Zurich, Luzern
Furka Pass
We started the day with driving down Furka Pass. Considered among the most beautiful drives in the world, the pass was featured in a car chase in a James Bond movie!
There were jaw dropping views on each turn, and we stopped quite a few times. Vihaan really liked the song "Puff the Magic Dragon", so we were all singing it on repeat all the way down :) The Alfa Romeo made for a smooth and sporty ride!
We started the day with driving down Furka Pass. Considered among the most beautiful drives in the world, the pass was featured in a car chase in a James Bond movie!
There were jaw dropping views on each turn, and we stopped quite a few times. Vihaan really liked the song "Puff the Magic Dragon", so we were all singing it on repeat all the way down :) The Alfa Romeo made for a smooth and sporty ride!
A thrilling ride! We were literally on the edge of our seat, spellbound by the spectacular views! It was great going down the valley from the top of the mountain, and coming up on the other side. Hands down among the best drives I have been on!
Lucerne
Talking about, and reliving our exhilarating drive, we arrived at the quaint town of Lucerne. Sitting on the banks of the expansive Lake Lucerne, the city has an charming, old-world feel to it - a centuries old, wooden footbridge carries pedestrians across River Reuss (a small river running through the city), cobblestone streets zig-zag through old town while church bells chimed from the majestic 16th century church alongside the Reuss.
We spent some time walking around the city (if you don't know me already, walking and taking in a new place slowly is one of my favorite things!), had lunch and coffee there. We also visited the Lion monument in the city.
Some pictures around the city
Talking about, and reliving our exhilarating drive, we arrived at the quaint town of Lucerne. Sitting on the banks of the expansive Lake Lucerne, the city has an charming, old-world feel to it - a centuries old, wooden footbridge carries pedestrians across River Reuss (a small river running through the city), cobblestone streets zig-zag through old town while church bells chimed from the majestic 16th century church alongside the Reuss.
We spent some time walking around the city (if you don't know me already, walking and taking in a new place slowly is one of my favorite things!), had lunch and coffee there. We also visited the Lion monument in the city.
Some pictures around the city
Wooden Footbridge
City Backdrop
Zurich
Zurich is the banking hub of Switzerland, and among the most expensive cities in the world (though after living in the Bay Area, nothing feels atrociously expensive when we travel - we are faced with those realities everyday :))
We parked across a large public square in Zurich called Sechselautenplatz. We had been sitting in the car for a while, so we were all eager to stretch our legs. There were musicians on one end of the expansive, white stone square, while a group of skateboarders were doing stunts on another side. Vihaan was captivated by the skateboarders and I think they enjoyed the little one's audience! He ran around a lot in the square and we chased quite a few pigeons basking in the evening sun.
Zurich is the banking hub of Switzerland, and among the most expensive cities in the world (though after living in the Bay Area, nothing feels atrociously expensive when we travel - we are faced with those realities everyday :))
We parked across a large public square in Zurich called Sechselautenplatz. We had been sitting in the car for a while, so we were all eager to stretch our legs. There were musicians on one end of the expansive, white stone square, while a group of skateboarders were doing stunts on another side. Vihaan was captivated by the skateboarders and I think they enjoyed the little one's audience! He ran around a lot in the square and we chased quite a few pigeons basking in the evening sun.
Grossmünster, a Romanesque church
We spent a relaxed evening walking around the city, and a wonderful evening by Lake Zurich!
City square
A spectacular day!
Day 7: Golden Pass Train
The next day we went aboard the Golden Pass Train, a train route that took us through the heart of the Alps! The train route often makes it to lists of the most scenic train routes in the world, so we definitely wanted to check it out.
The train starts at Lucerne, proceeds to Interlaken and ends at Montreaux. The journey from Interlaken starts with the train going the charming lush green Swiss countryside dotted with small mountain villages. Expansive farmlands with cows grazing are often located close to these mountain villages. The train then winds its way through mountains and valleys, hugging the banks of turquoise, sparkling blue, glacial lakes. As the train approaches Montreaux, it steadily begins climbing up a steep mountain, which is snow-capped in the winter, and then comes down precipitous rocky cliffs!
The train has gigantic panoramic windows, so the view is great! It was quite comfortable and sparsely populated. The cafe staff make their way through the train and take orders - we had some buttery croissants and sandwiches, while sipping coffee, while looking out at a great view!
We had a lovely, relaxed day!
On the train:
The train starts at Lucerne, proceeds to Interlaken and ends at Montreaux. The journey from Interlaken starts with the train going the charming lush green Swiss countryside dotted with small mountain villages. Expansive farmlands with cows grazing are often located close to these mountain villages. The train then winds its way through mountains and valleys, hugging the banks of turquoise, sparkling blue, glacial lakes. As the train approaches Montreaux, it steadily begins climbing up a steep mountain, which is snow-capped in the winter, and then comes down precipitous rocky cliffs!
The train has gigantic panoramic windows, so the view is great! It was quite comfortable and sparsely populated. The cafe staff make their way through the train and take orders - we had some buttery croissants and sandwiches, while sipping coffee, while looking out at a great view!
We had a lovely, relaxed day!
On the train:
Beautiful views!
Montreaux
And that wrapped up another gorgeous day!
Day 8: Milan
We visited our third country on this trip - Italy, on our last day in Europe! When we were making our itinerary for this trip, visiting Milan was a distant maybe, since we thought we wouldn't have enough time as traveling and visiting places was likely to be slower with our little companion. However, our little traveler is a champ! He matched us step to step in traveling - eating, sleeping, playing in the car/outside, and being chirpy all the time, inspite of the long days! Abhishek and I were constantly amazed at what a great traveler our little baby is! Our recipe for success was taking breaks every hour or so - to stretch our legs and chit-chat with Vihaan about what was outside and what was to come, making sure he was comfortable around his nap time so that he can sleep well, preparing him before hand about what the day would be like (lots of walking/train/villages etc.) and having a variety of different foods, books and toys. In hindsight, one of the best decisions that made this trip comfortable was the fact that we traveled by car for most of the trip, as opposed to taking trains. It allowed us to be flexible with our travel plans.
Hats off to our little one, which allowed us to visit Milan. And boy am I glad we were able to visit! We had a great time for the half day or so that we spent in Milan.
Milan needs no introduction - it is one of four fashion capitals of the world (the other three being New York, Paris and London), it has prestigious museums which house prominent works of Leonardo Da Vinci, including "The Last Supper", and is the home of A.C. Milan - one of Europe's most successful football leagues.
We took the train from Interlaken to Milan. The train went over the Alps and had nice views, which were quite different from the views we had seen on the Golden Pass. As we passed by cities and towns from Switzerland going into Italy, I couldn't help but compare the two. Towns and railway stations in Switzerland look neat and organized compared to Italy where things were more messy and chaotic - clothes were hung out to dry from apartment balconies, traffic looked more chaotic, weeds were growing alongside train tracks and stations looked rundown - but, the food was much better in Italy compared to Switzerland! :) The stark differences between the two also carries over to your pocket - food, ticket costs, entry fees are much cheaper in Italy than Switzerland. We were pleasantly surprised to find we could order a full pizza in Italy for the cost of what would have covered just the cheese in Switzerland :)
We had a lot of ground to cover in the few hours we were in Milan, so we set right off as soon as we arrived. Stepping out of the impressive railway station in Milan - all ready to go!
Hats off to our little one, which allowed us to visit Milan. And boy am I glad we were able to visit! We had a great time for the half day or so that we spent in Milan.
Milan needs no introduction - it is one of four fashion capitals of the world (the other three being New York, Paris and London), it has prestigious museums which house prominent works of Leonardo Da Vinci, including "The Last Supper", and is the home of A.C. Milan - one of Europe's most successful football leagues.
We took the train from Interlaken to Milan. The train went over the Alps and had nice views, which were quite different from the views we had seen on the Golden Pass. As we passed by cities and towns from Switzerland going into Italy, I couldn't help but compare the two. Towns and railway stations in Switzerland look neat and organized compared to Italy where things were more messy and chaotic - clothes were hung out to dry from apartment balconies, traffic looked more chaotic, weeds were growing alongside train tracks and stations looked rundown - but, the food was much better in Italy compared to Switzerland! :) The stark differences between the two also carries over to your pocket - food, ticket costs, entry fees are much cheaper in Italy than Switzerland. We were pleasantly surprised to find we could order a full pizza in Italy for the cost of what would have covered just the cheese in Switzerland :)
We had a lot of ground to cover in the few hours we were in Milan, so we set right off as soon as we arrived. Stepping out of the impressive railway station in Milan - all ready to go!
Duomo di Milano
The first place we visited was the majestic Duomo di Milano, one of the most recognizable monuments in the world and the largest church in Italy. The Duomo is built in Gothic architecture style, which is also the architecture style of Notre-Dame.
The cathedral look 6 centuries to complete! Imagine a building that your great-great(+4)-grandfather saw start, and you saw complete :)
Construction began in 1386, when the church archbishop's cousin ascended to power in Milan. Construed as a gift to the noble and working class, the start of construction of the cathedral generated enormous interest in the city and the archbishop collected large sums of money as donations. Over the next few centuries expansion and enhancements continued. In 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte was about to become King of Italy, and he ordered the facade of the Cathedral to be completed - and it was at long last! Napoleon was crowned King of Italy at the Duomo. The cathedral was finally completed in 1965.
The church has the most statues of any building in the world (3400), was worked on by 1000 workers and 70+ architects, from across Europe. A special canal was devised to bring stone from the quarries to the venue.
Pictures around the impressive, imposing cathedral!
The first place we visited was the majestic Duomo di Milano, one of the most recognizable monuments in the world and the largest church in Italy. The Duomo is built in Gothic architecture style, which is also the architecture style of Notre-Dame.
The cathedral look 6 centuries to complete! Imagine a building that your great-great(+4)-grandfather saw start, and you saw complete :)
Construction began in 1386, when the church archbishop's cousin ascended to power in Milan. Construed as a gift to the noble and working class, the start of construction of the cathedral generated enormous interest in the city and the archbishop collected large sums of money as donations. Over the next few centuries expansion and enhancements continued. In 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte was about to become King of Italy, and he ordered the facade of the Cathedral to be completed - and it was at long last! Napoleon was crowned King of Italy at the Duomo. The cathedral was finally completed in 1965.
The church has the most statues of any building in the world (3400), was worked on by 1000 workers and 70+ architects, from across Europe. A special canal was devised to bring stone from the quarries to the venue.
Pictures around the impressive, imposing cathedral!
Vihaan had a great time chasing pigeons! He has now chased pigeons at quite a few famous places :) Maybe we should have a wall of pictures for that :)
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Our next stop was Italy's oldest, and now one of the fanciest, shopping malls. It is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy. After all the grief ladies get for shopping too much, the least he could have done is named it after his wife! :)
Our next stop was Italy's oldest, and now one of the fanciest, shopping malls. It is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy. After all the grief ladies get for shopping too much, the least he could have done is named it after his wife! :)
Walking around Milan
We did a nice walking loop, lasting about 2-3 hours starting from the Duomo. This was our route.
We did a nice walking loop, lasting about 2-3 hours starting from the Duomo. This was our route.
Sforza Castle
We spent a nice afternoon having lunch at the Sempione Park. After that we headed to Sforza Castle, which has an interesting history. One of it's earliest occupants was a powerful family (by the name Visconti), that ruled Milan. The family was overthrown by the city residents, and the city became a republic. The city was shortly thereafter attacked by Venice, at which point a warlord named Sforza defended the city - and then he became the city's ruler, residing in the same castle!
The castle was one of the largest citadels in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has an imposing tower at the entrance and wide open courtyards inside which are surrounded by rooms. The castle today has been repurposed and holds many of the city's art collections and museums.
We spent a nice afternoon having lunch at the Sempione Park. After that we headed to Sforza Castle, which has an interesting history. One of it's earliest occupants was a powerful family (by the name Visconti), that ruled Milan. The family was overthrown by the city residents, and the city became a republic. The city was shortly thereafter attacked by Venice, at which point a warlord named Sforza defended the city - and then he became the city's ruler, residing in the same castle!
The castle was one of the largest citadels in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has an imposing tower at the entrance and wide open courtyards inside which are surrounded by rooms. The castle today has been repurposed and holds many of the city's art collections and museums.
And that was the end of our lovely day in Milan! We headed back on a fast, direct train to Interlaken. We met a group of three lovely ladies on the train back, who were studying to be teachers in Barcelona. They were on a eurotrip, and played so well with Vihaan. Vihaan comfortably settled himself in their booth for most of the trip. Abhishek and I were happy to get a little break :)
Day 9: Driving back to Paris
We drove back along windy country roads with stops at small towns on our drive back to Paris. We had lunch at a small town, Poligny. Apparently in French culture they bring you coffee after your lunch by default, unless you told them not to beforehand. Not that we would have said no, but it reminded me of my grandpa who had coffee before and after every meal :)
The next day we flew back to SF with our hearts full! Thank you France and Switzerland for all the wonderful memories! We will surely cherish them for a long time to come :)
