Rekha's Musings

I am a die-hard travel bug! The mountains and meadows; oceans, rivers; forests and falls; temples, churches, palaces; towers or tombs; be it God’s own creation or man’s; I wanted them all – to admire, to marvel at, to be a part of, just for a day or even an hour!
Then I met Vibhakar and Chitra Wad; my partners in crime! As obsessed with the need or greed to traverse every inch of this beautiful planet! Vibhakar was my colleague of 15 years in GSK and whenever we met, the discussion always veered towards some far-off destination. A vision took shape and was stored away!
D- day arrived and we retired from our 9 to 9 bond with GSK! It was time to pull out the “Wish-List”. It was’nt difficult to find accomplices – relatives registered for Life membership; friends phoned to enroll; friends of friends enquired to join-up! The only criteria – Wander-lust! And soon we were in Business!
We did a few domestic trips which included the Gadhwal Himalayas; Himachal Pradesh, Dandeli in Karnataka, Assam-Meghalaya, Orissa. Now we set our sights on Europe!
Vibhakar and myself were the self-styled Team leaders; Medha (my sis-in-law) and Roshan (my brother); Sheela, Aparna and Jayant (friends) and Mr. & Mrs. Vanjare (the wild card entrants). A motley group of 9 set out on a Backpacking Tour of Europe! What started out as a 15 day tour, soon got extended to 30. We sampled all of Northern (Scandinavia) and Central Europe (13 countries to be exact) in one month! Crazy? That’s us!
Except Roshan, we were all retirees; for many, their maiden voyage out of the country!
And we did all the spade work ourselves! Why can’t you use Kesari, or SOTC or Raja Rani, we were asked? Well BECAUSE! The Raasta is as beautiful as The Manzil! The Planning Meets were Luncheon Get togethers, the embassy trips for visas were mini picnics! Pouring over Route Maps, Charting the course and Youth Hostel (YH) Bookings on the net were a learning!
Euros, Dollars, Kroners! Time zones, Temperatures, Rainfall, Sights to See, Food, Tickets! Everything had to be thought of! Everything had to work like clockwork! And we had to enjoy ourselves too!
Well, PACKING was the biggest nightmare! Minimize baggage, no coolies there! One month of winter and only 20 Kgs of baggage! We almost tore our hair out deciding what to carry! Inspite of it, we women (Sheela, Medha and myself ) were constantly nagged for the size of our bags!
Aparna of course was different – 2 rucksacks was all she brought! But then she was a true trekker; she had just returned from Everest Base Camp! 14 days without a bath or change of clothes! We were awe-struck! Anyhow, D-day was at hand and we headed to our first destination! Comraderie was high!
FINLAND-Helsinki
Starting with the Northern most point – Helsinki, capital of Finland – the name itself was magical – Helsinki! It brought back my first ever memory of this city as a 3 year old (isn’t it remarkable)- a page from an Air India Calendar of 1952, the year the Olympic Games were held there –depicting the Helsinki Olympics! The picture on the page has left me but the magic of the name remains to this day! And here I was actually landing in Helsinki, the land of Santa and his reindeer and the sledges on the snow slopes! It was truly magical and lived up to its vision.
Finland, the Least Corrupt Country in the World (what a contrast to Apna Bharat!); Land of Nokia, inventors of the Mobile Phone and the Sauna Bath! Naturally it boasts of the highest per capita mobile phones and internet connections. Also highest per capita consumption of Coffee and cigarette butts strewn on the sidewalks - understandable if you have only two seasons; Winter and Severe Winter! We visited the Olympic Stadium and the unique Church in the Rock.
Lappland
A day at Rovaniemi – the capital of Lappland – Home of Santaclaus. Here the Reindeer population (2 lakhs) exceeds Human population (1.8 lakhs.) We visited a very handsome Santa, took pictures with him and were tickled pink when he said “You are from India! I have been to India, loved it - Chennai and Jaipur!”
Here we crossed the Arctic circle 66 . 31 ° N!
In fact the most gratifying fact throughout the trip was that not only were we recognized as “Indians”, we were also very pleasantly welcomed and greeted with friendly namastes and tidbits of Hindi! India truly Shining!
Scandinavia as a whole is still untouched by terrorism, and people still retain their friendliness and do not fear strangers (of brown skin). They still have the time to stop and help tourists and it was charming to see young school and college boys pick up our bags as we went up the stairs changing trains, or get off their bikes to show us the shortest route to our destination.

The Eurail network is AMAZING! The first half of our trip, we spent five nights on the Inter-city trains. Their sleepers were good but we preferred the chair-cars. They were comfy, provided us with blankets and pillows! We perfected the art of ‘dry-cleaning’ and also bathing Jumme-ke-jumme! Not really! But we learnt to make do without a shower sometimes! A quick wash, change of underclothes, a generous application of cold cream, pull on the jeans, Tee and jerkin and we were all set for the day!
Coming back to the Eurail – their Dining cars were most attractive! After the first journey we learnt that we had to make a beeline for the dining car and occupy a table before they were all taken. We also met some interesting characters here over a bottle of beer and snacks. No economizing here! But drinking Water was banned by the leader –Mr. Wad - who always believes in ‘VFM’ –Value for Money! When a bottle of water costs as much as a bottle of beer or wine (sometimes even more!) then why waste precious Euros on water? This created a problem for Medha who hated wine and beer as much as she hated taking orders. And how can I not mention the toilets on the train – spic and span and well stocked with soap and napkins! (Nothing like the train travel back home!). No wonder these are referred to as “Hotel Trains”.
SWEDEN-Stockholm
From Helsinki we flew to Stockholm, capital of Sweden. A cute city if ever there was one! Every structure had its own ‘Designer Roof’. The city is built on 14 islands between lake Maler and the Baltic Sea. And you can visit all the sights by Hop-on Hop-off Boats! The Residences of the Rich and the Famous Swedes - Bjorn Borg, Tiger Woods (his wife is Swedish); the beautiful National Theatre crafted in gold; where the likes of Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo started their careers!
The most renowned son of Sweden, Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm in1833. Did you know he did all his studying on his own; and never took any school or college exams! Chemistry was his special interest and in 1867 he invented "dynamite". His research took him all over Europe and US and held a total of 355 patents. His many enterprises made him one of the wealthiest men in the world!
He left his huge estate to the Nobel Foundation and willed it to be awarded to persons whose work was of greatest benefit to mankind. That is the story of The Nobel Prize!

The Scandinavian Countries all have a rich Sea-faring tradition and the ancient ships have been well preserved. The Vasa ship museum is one such. The Vasa set sail on 10th August 1628 and sank in Stockholm harbor on its maiden voyage! The reason? An over- ambitious ruler who wanted to make her the most fearsome as also the most beautiful fighting machine! He adorned the ship with hundreds of sculptures and put so many guns on board that the poor ship sunk with its own weight! She was salvaged in 1961 after lying 333 years under the sea. She has been reconstructed and is today 95% original.

The transport system here is superb - the bus, the train, the tram, the boats, the cycles and the cars, are all well-knit and ply in unison, in harmony criss-crossing the city! The YH had a lovely restaurant that served some delicious veggie dishes and pizzas. Also, can’t forget the yummy dinner at the Thai Restaurant at Gamalastan!
NORWAY-Oslo
Onward to Oslo, capital of Norway - Land of the Midnight sun (in Summer)! Unlike the other places, the Oslo train station looked run down and bleak; but the rest of the city was nothing like this! We hired a cab (Pakistani cabbie) who took us around the city.
Vigeland Park was our first introduction to European art ie. Nude sculptures, few females but mostly males! Over 200 sculptures, larger than life in all possible and impossible postures! Aparna tried to find an explanation for this nude fixation and came up with a brilliant explanation. “Most of the year they are wrapped in layers of clothing. So their fantasy of freeing themselves is reflected in their art!” Sounds quite plausible! And we sure had an overdose of this art thru the trip!
We felt a part of history when we visited the Institute of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. While the prize for the Sciences and Literature are given by Swedish committees in Stockholm, Nobel stipulated the Peace Prize to be awarded by a Norwegian committee in Oslo. Guess it was because the Norwegian Storting had shown a special interest in brokering peace in strife-ridden regions of the world? It is trying hard in Srilanka!
An official went out of her way to show us around the hallowed Portals where the Directors meet and the Hall where the prize is awarded! In fact the Prize for 2008 had just been decided a few days ago and was announced a day after our visit.
The Viking Ship Museum bears out Norway's rich seafaring tradition. The Holmenkollen Ski Jump with a simulator gave us a 10 minute skiing experience! The compulsory Palace visit finished off the day.

Bergen - a world heritage city.
Our next stop was Bergen – a fairyland built on seven hills– picturesque with its numerous lakes, and fjords. A fjord is formed when the sea finds its way between two mountains; and Norway has a maze of mountains with the sea water gushing around them!
Add to this the thousands of natural lakes and waterfalls! Cruising thru the fjords takes you thru some sensational scenery. Bergen was Paradise; its streets lined with fully-laden apple trees. We became children plucking apples of various hues and sizes; more than we could eat!

It was Autumn; the season and the scenery were just brilliant! It was cold, but we were well equipped. The Fall colours were out of this world; the trees, the bushes, the infinite shades of green, turning to yellows, to browns, to reds, to marvelous beauty as far as eyes could carry! The streets were lined with them, the hill slopes were covered with them, the lakes, the houses were surrounded by them! They ran along the railway tracks! It was pure paradise! Our digital cameras just couldn’t stop clicking!

The city is no less exciting! The Open Fish Market, also sells fruit, vegetables, flowers and handicrafts, a heritage site. The 900 year old wooden buildings that line the length of the wharf (constructed as warehouses for the massive trade) make a unique spectacle. The Funicular cable railway going up to Mt. Floyen, and The Flam Railway, on its 20 Km. route from Myrdal to Flam offers some of the most magnificent scenery.

Edvard Grieg was Norway's most famous composer. His home, built in 1885, is now a museum and the interiors is as Grieg and his wife Nina knew it in their lifetime!
ICELAND- Reykjavik
Flight into Reykjavik (pronounced Rekhyaveek) – had we landed on the MOON? In extreme contrast to Scandinavia, the terrain was nothing like I’d ever seen before. Rugged, black, rocky, like we’d landed on the moon- craters and all!
A geographical marvel - this is the artwork of 200 volcanoes of which 30 are still very active! It appears God has still not finished making Iceland! Every 5 years there is a major eruption - one even sprayed huge quantities of ash over Leningrad, 2500 Kms. away.
15% of the country is covered by Glaciers (this is more than all the Glaciers of Scandinavia plus the Alps put together!) There are also huge reservoirs of Frozen water which melt in the summer and cover the land with a network of rivers.
The extreme cold (from where the country got its name) gives very little chance for vegetation- not a single tree, only moss and shrubs, blackberries and blueberries (which we went a-picking!). The total population of Iceland is 3 lakhs, of which 1 lakh lives in Reykjavik. I marveled at the infrastructure created in the city for the 1 lakh people! The roads, the transport system, the markets, the stores!
The country being huge compared to its population; has its own peculiar problems. Most schools are Boarding schools and are closed for 4 months during summer when they double up for Hotels to cater to the tourists. This is probably the only nation that does not have the concept of a Family Name; even the telephone directory is listed by the first name.
Another geographical phenomenon is the Rift. This country is placed on two tectonic plates; the American and the Eurasian and both these plates are drifting apart by 1 cm every year. This has created a Rift in the land mass and a bridge has been built across the two sides.
Deep crevices and holes in the rocky crust have created yet another natural wonder - Amidst the freezing cold you have the Geysirs- Steaming hot pools of green, blue water shoot up in the sky in a soft explosion, spraying sulphuric gases. Even the city’s water supply carries the smell of sulphur. Legend has it that these apparitions are giant Trolls (Ghosts) dwelling in the roots of mountains.
Their horses too are very handsome and multi-coloured; albeit smaller in stature!
The highlight of our visit was a swim in the “Blue Lagoon” a natural pool where water retains its temperature at 30 deg. C throughout the year. The sulphur content and the fact that the water regenerates itself every 40 hours keeps the water bacteria-free and a swim is supposed to do good for your skin!
Some of us needed to be cajoled, but finally we all decided to take the plunge! The girls from Chiplun had their eyes popping, seeing the women walk around the change rooms with nothing on; coolly showering; while we waited to find a covered shower-room!
The YH here was absolutely luxurious. It had 3 huge, well appointed guest kitchens. And we even found a packet of Basmati rice in the basket (left by an Indian, I guess). We went beserk cooking! That’s the best attraction of the YH. You can cook your meals whenever possible. This is not only a big saving but you get some ghar ka khana too!
Living on Mc Donald fare can become quite tiring after a while. And Europe has been completely captured by the Big Mac. Every corner has one whereas the other food chains like Pizza Hut or Subway or even KFC are few and far between.
Our meals throughout the trip comprised of Buffet B/F at our place of stay, which was quite sumptuous, lunch at a Mc Donalds enroute, “Chai-tea” at Starbucks; the tea that others served was pathetic (cold and dishwater-like) and dinner was ‘ghar ka khana’ when possible else experimented with some local fare. And loads of ice cream and coffee in between!
The two days in Reykjavik were made special by our friendly cabbie who also doubled for guide! When we told him that he was over- charging us, he couldn’t stop convincing us that he was an “Honest Guy”. He even gave us a parting gift, a pretty tie-pin!
Here we witnessed the most beautiful waterfall! It was gigantic, loud and rocky; we could literally stand at arms length from where the water crashed down into the deep gorge.

Unfortunately, a week after we left the country, we heard that it had plunged into serious financial crises. To which Neil commented, “You were probably instrumental in delaying the onset of the crises by a week!”
DENMARK-Copenhagen
Oslo to Copenhagen by cruise- Crown of Scandinavia, an 11-storey Luxury Liner meanders leisurely thru the fjords and islands giving its guests an opportunity to soak in the abundant natural beauty of the region. The lavish buffet dinner was more an experience in fine dining; there were about 100 items on offer; we dared sample about 10 of them and it cost a bomb! The cabins were lovely; it was well worth it!
Copenhagen, a city of canals and Danish Pastry! The YH was close to the train station so we decided to walk the 4-5 blocks; six of us lugging 15 pieces of baggage between us, not forgetting the big bag with Sattar-Fattar (snacks, ladoos, chewda, etc.). We made quite a spectacle and quite a racket with the trolley wheels on the cobbled pavements! But Euros had not to be squandered and luxuries like taxis for short distances were to be avoided!
The men stood in for ‘porters’; just as we women took on the role of the ‘cooks’!

But here we were rewarded – we found Delhi Darbar! So everybody forgot their travails and concentrated on ‘Lunch’ followed by a visit to ‘The Mermaids”.

The Little Mermaid reclining on a rock is a beautiful sculpture inspired by Hans Anderson's fairytale character.

Half a day to go! We put it to good use; we visited a Family run Brewery. The unique feature of this brewery was that they still followed the age old process of beer-making, used by their fore- fathers. They did not use yeast to speed up fermentation; instead they allowed the barley/grain to ferment naturally. The time taken for this beer to mature was much longer, but the beer was rich in flavour and colour - more like wine! We were regaled with the various flavours and we in turn offered them our khakras and farsans. They just loved it and one of the brothers even took some home for his wife!
Odensa (pronounced Oothensa)
The home of Hans Christian Anderson, son of a common housemaid and one of the greatest Fairytale writers of all time. We visited his house which is a museum today. All his works, manuscripts, letters, the cartoon characters he created are on display. Bought a book of Fairytales for Rhea.
Padborg Scandinavia done, we were on our way to Germany for the second leg of our trip with McMohan in his new Mercedes Van. Mc Mohan was to meet us at the border town of Padborg, The train brought us here around 6 pm. We made ourselves comfy in the waiting room. It was cold and dark and we were the only people there. Can you imagine a railway platform with 6 people?
The men went exploring the town for food and came back with some extraordinary sandwiches and pizzas. After gorging on them we waited for Mohan. He was all I expected him to be and more! Wad who was a bit skeptical became his instant fan! He was friendly, open, and trustworthy as we found out. He was to be our Driver and Guide for the next fortnight.
GERMANY-Hamburg & Stuttgart
From Padborg to Stuttgart via Hamburg and Cologne. We visited the Hamburg harbour, the busiest harbour on the North Sea and the stunning Gothic Cathedral in Cologne- and up the 515 feet Church Tower!
Mohan was a wonderful host, had stocked lots of wine and beer and literally brought the supermarket home! Stuttgart (Mohan’s house) was our Transit camp. We would do laundry, cook some palatable food; hot sambar, vegetables, rice, upma etc. and take off for a week!

Here Jayant left and Roshan and Mr. & Mrs.Vanjare joined us. By the way, the Vanjares were the only couple in the group, the rest of us were all merry singles. Probably why they took on the task of providing the ‘Romantic angle’ to the expedition! They soon earned the title of ‘Coochicoo’ and provided the much needed in-house entertainment! No thanx to them for that!

A tour of the Concentration Camp of Dachau. We saw unfolding before us, the numerous books we had read on the atrocities inflicted by Hitler’s armies – a moving experience!
As luck would have it I had just read a book by Dr. Victor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist and more importantly, a holocaust survivor. The book ‘Man’s search for Meaning’ describes his experiences in Dachau and how he found meaning and a reason to continue living even in the most sordid conditions of the concentration camp!
His story came to life as we walked thru the Original Buildings, Photographs, the Gas Chambers, Bunkers, Cells, that have all been preserved as gruesome reminders of what Men are capable of! Especially the heartfelt commentary by the German Guide reflected the shame and remorse that had been brought upon his country!
As we left, we were assured by a memorial which was inscribed with “NEVER AGAIN” in several languages!
AUSTRIA-Salzburg
Onwards to Austria! Salzburg, The magical ‘Sound of Music’ city on the river Salzach; with its abundantly celebrated natural beauty! We walked the streets of Salzburg, House of the famous musician Mozart. Here we met a mother/daughter duo who were great fans of India, having visited once and desirous of visiting again.
In fact throughout the journey we met many Europeans who had visited India. Must mention a group of 6-7 Portugese women travelers, like us, who shared a cabin next to ours on the train. They came gushing to us like long lost friends telling us how beautiful Goa was (naturally) and how happy they were to meet Indians so many years after their visit to our country!
One retired Prof. wanted to know if we were “Staunch Hindus” and how we perceived other religions. We had to tell him that 95% of us were very tolerant of all religions and its only the few fanatics who give a bad name to any religion!
Another old gentleman knew India from TV programs and his comment was “Too many bloody people!” Can’t blame him! In most of Europe you had to drive a few miles to set eyes on another human being!
ITALY-VENICE
The city of my dreams! The island-city without roads-only canals with ancient palaces and buildings on either bank!
The ground floor of these structures has been deemed unfit for living; (only shops are permitted) after a giant tidal wave in the Adriatic Sea in the 1960s, caused great loss of life and property, when the water level rose upto the first floor!
Can’t do Venice without a Gondola-ride! And the Tall & Handsome Gondoliers in their striking, striped uniforms add spice as they guide their Black and gold beauties thru the waters and under the semi-circular bridges that criss- cross the canals.! They of course charge a bomb! ‘Aplyala gandavla’ aptly translates to ‘took us for a ride’, (literally)! in Marathi.
A visit to a Glass Blowing Factory on the famous island of Murano! Here you can buy Magnificent Chandeliers costing thousands of dollars or tiny mementos for 10 dollars!
More excitement awaited us. Mohan had booked us into 2 caravans comprising 2 bed-rooms each; parked on the Fusina sea-front! Initially I was slightly apprehensive, but they were well-maintained with well- equipped kitchens and great fun! By now we were quite adept at Hostel life – Bunk Beds, and Common Showers!
FLORENCE
The fascinating museums of Michael Angelo Nudes, (in stone and on canvas), with the Statue of David placed on its own little hill! To top it all, was a whole street lined with shops selling jewellery studded with the unique amber stone made from the juice of a tree! And of course the famous Italian leather bags, jackets, designer clothes –all to be admired from a distance!
PISA
A short halt at The Leaning Tower- another Wonder! The entire complex was built in Pure White Italian Marble and looked Divine! The photographers were having a field day taking pictures of tourists trying to hold the Tower from falling!
TUSCANIA AND BOLOGNA
The drive to Rome was long and we made two night-halts; at Tuscania and Bologna. The YH at Tuscania was housed in an ancient castle! straight out of a Fairy Tale! The high Stone walls with Towers on four sides, the stone pathway that led up to the entrance!
Were the insides as ancient, with dark attics and bats scurrying out of the windows, we wondered. But we were greeted with spacious rooms, well-lit and in total contrast to the outside.
We literally went round in circles trying to locate the YH at Bologna in the middle of the night; Mohan’s GPS system and the YH receptionist notwithstanding.
ROME-Vatican
Rome, built on the river Tiber is amazing! As we entered the city we were greeted with a shower of hailstones! Such lovely even-sized, even-shaped pearls dropping from the sky with a loud tap-tap! Our first experience of rain in Europe! And the cold was worse than any we had faced until now, including Lappland! And we were expecting a warm Vatican!
The St. Peters Bascilica, Michael Angelo’s famous sculptures; The Pieta (depicting the body of Jesus on the lap of Mother Mary after the crucifixion), The Last judgement , the grand Colloseum (I could picture the Gladiators fighting the Lions!), the Town Hall, the Court house, the Museums, and the ruins around still being excavated! Every building has its share of sculptures and paintings and the city has Michael Angelo written all over! We made sure to toss a coin in The Trevi Fountain, ensuring our return to this historic city-state!
The highlight of Rome for us was the Hospitality of Sr. Beatrice and her team of Kerala sisters -the delicious Indian lunch they served us; literally a 5 course meal with red and white wine, fruit and ice cream! As we left we also got a bagful of goodies to takeaway! All thanx to Babu Thomas.
AUSTRIA, Innsbruck
The drive to Innsbruck was soo scenic! The beauty of the Alps lies in its nearness! As someone has said “Where the Alps end, the Himalayas begin!” Its snowcapped peaks feel so close and friendly compared to the mighty Himalayas which tower into the skies!
The suburban landscape of Europe comprises thick forests, wooded countryside, and well-groomed lawns encircling a cluster of tiny cottages that make up the village. There is virtually no barren land to be seen anywhere!
Innsbruck is a tiny little town (on the Inns river); the home of Swarowsky. We got some neat bargains at the Factory outlet! Medha of course went berserk!
GERMANY-Munich
The Beer Festival was on; an experience we could not miss! The mood was festive and the crowd frenzied! Deafening music and dancing and lots of games! We tasted the renowned beer and soaked in the atmosphere; then returned to the calm of our brand new Mercedes Benz.

Mc Mohan had just taken possession of the vehicle and had arranged for all of us to visit the Benz factory in Stuttgart. The state of the art manufacturing facility must be seen to be believed - Giant Robots picking up the engine-block, manuevering it into position and fastening it with bolts; then moving on to the next component and repeating the exercise for the entire line of cars; with NO human intervention!!
Henry Ford’s model of the ‘Assembly Line’ technique in the auto industry has sure come a long way!

Just outside Stuttgart, we visited The Ludvigsburg Palace, over 1000 years old; but every ORIGINAL piece of furniture, tapestry, every curtain and sheet retained to this day, looking absolutely new and fresh!
We left on the last leg of our tour; Switzerland, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxemburg. The Autobahns connecting the cities of Europe and the numerous tunnels cutting thru the hills add to the pleasure of driving.
SWITZERLAND- Engelberg (Mt. Titlis)

Excitement & Anticipation ruled heavy as we approached Switzerland – the Queen of Hill stations, literally the Heart of Europe! the Champagne of nature! The only nation to have maintained its neutrality thru the two world wars!
The drive from Germany to Switzerland is utterly picturesque! The route fringes The Black Forest and we passed thru Shauffhausen with its Humungous Rhine Falls. As you pass thru the verdant farms in the villages, you can here the distinct musical sound of the bells tied around their necks, as the cows bob their heads grazing in the lush green fields!
Mt. Titlis, at a height of 1000 ft is a typical touristy place, with ropeway, revolving cablecar, snow covered hilltops to scramble up and come sliding down and landing with bruised butts!Can you believe we had samosas and pattice at Mt. Titlis? In fact, with so many of our Bollywood movies being shot there, the Swiss Govt. is encouraging Indian fare and eateries! Sensible!
INTERLAKEN.
Literally means “ city between two lakes”; another beautiful town. How can we forget the graceful swans in the lakes? LUCERNE.
We visited The Lion Monument ( a war memorial carved in stone shows a lion weeping for the soldiers who laid down their lives). And the wooden bridge (the oldest road bridge in Europe) spanning the river Reuss.
In fact, most European Cities/Towns have a typical architectural format. The center or Centrum as it is called, comprises of a large Quadrangle and adorns the city’s emblem mostly carved in stone. Around this City Center you have the Churches, Museums, Courthouses, Council Halls, National Theatre etc. These are huge monuments built from stone and are literally hundreds of years old, but look like they were erected yesterday!
PARIS
Paris, on the river Seine, was a repeat for me. We spent two days; the first day, walking along the Champs Elysees from one end to the other, L’Arc de Troimphe (commissioned by Napolean to commemorate his victories), Place de la Concorde, La Sorbonne, the University, Rue de Rivoli, Notre Dame Cathedral etc. The second day was at the Louvre and Mona Lisa!

In between, lunches and dinners at Sarvana Bhavan and Ravi Cafe in Little India.

A visit to the Famed Lido Theatre at a minimum 100 Euros a seat was debated and dropped! One look at the trailer and good sense prevailed!

How did I miss the Eiffel Tower, my favourite tower after the Qutb. Designed by Gustav Eiffel in 1889, it was the world’s tallest structure at that time. We saw it morn, noon and night-when it is all lit up in hues of blue; mesmerizing against the dark skies! Leaving Paris, we drove thru the vineyards of the quaint town of Chantilly, of the famed wine brand!
AMSTERDAM
Everybody in this city rides a bicycle! In fact all over Europe, esp. the smaller towns, the bicycle is the preferred mode of transport, even for office goers. Special pathways are marked along the roads for cycles. In the city centers you see large Parking Bays full of thousands of cycles! I read once there was a time when even the PMs drove to parliament on their bicycle!
The Canal cruise of the city-sights was interesting! And the walk along the Red Light Area where beauties of various shapes and sizes flaunt their wares in glass cubicles! Mohan was scandalized when we women walked along nonchalantly, he refused to accompany us there!
The visit to the much acclaimed Madurodam ( a museum of monuments of Holland in miniature) was disappointing, a damp squib, a waste of time and expensive too(14 Euros a head)!
BRUSSELS & LUXEMBURG
Brussels was most impressive! I was just taken in by the colossal buildings! The statue of the Little Boy Peeing had to be tick marked – we saw in at a street corner while we went chocolate shopping-got some vintage Belgian liquor chocolates!
Here we dropped off the Cuchikoo Couple and Aparna; and we returned to Stuttgart. On the way a brief look at Luxemburg.
Must salute Aparna for her daring to travel alone to London and Scotland all by herself!

QED

Next morning Mohan dropped us off at Frankfurt airport and we boarded our respective flights to Mumbai. We all arrived in one piece, as one team, IN GOOD SPIRITS!
Looking back, there were times when I was reminded of Big Boss- the TV serial. Like the participants of Big Boss, we had been thrown together 24 x 7, for one whole month. Naturally, there emergrd groups within groups; likes, dislikes; at times frayed tempers! These were part of the game and laughed off!
In the end, we were 2.2 lacs lighter in the pocket, but we had a dream realized! A Mission Accomplished! A cool saving of 1 lac if you apply Tour Operator rates! Applaud our performance!
We were already chalking out our next venture! Three Cheers To Us!

# posted by rdbelite @ 10:25 AM