Touring the West (Part 2)

This is a continuation from the previous entry.

That was it for Italy. Next up, Switzerland, the land of snow capped mountains, also home of the Alps, one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world. Upon crossing borders on the overnight sleeper from Venice, Italy, the change in scenery became very obvious. Dirty streets and cramped houses gave way to spectacular mountains and serene lakes. Houses were much neater, streets cleaner and the countryside air, fresher. There was no doubt in my mind that Switzerland would be a much better place, with more refined culture and better food. It turned out to be true. The contrast was just too great.

That's how small the Sleeper Cabin is! Just imagine 6 people sleeping in there!

From this busy street in Italy.......... To............

this................. A sudden change of scenery.................. Regional inequalities?

This experience was made even more special when we met this South Korean lady who happened to be in the same sleeper cabin as us. Apparently, she was travelling alone on a 21 day tour of some of the great sights and sounds of Europe. A Nursing student from a reputable University in Korea, she paid for this trip using all her own money and got the Euro pass at a discounted rate. Most people would not want to travel alone, but seeing a lady who speaks little English and has the willingness to venture to the unknown to learn more, really shows how brave she is! Hats off!

Mount Titlis was the first destination as soon as we arrived in the country that has signed a Neutrality policy. The views at the summit and on the way up were nothing short of magnificent. It was as if it were heaven.

If you think that was magnificent........ Then you are wrong....... because...

this is even better! It's a panoramic view from the top of Mount Titlis. That's the Alps mountain range...

Gazing at the valleys from above. Ice skating anyone?

Of course, we did not forget to visit the great cities of Swizerland. Luzern, Zurich, Bern and Interlaken were all we covered during the 4 days in Switzerland. Interlaken was quite remarkable. The scenery was just wonderful! Mountains that rise high into the clear blue sky in front of your face! That is how I would describe the scenery. It's like an artist's painting brought to life! The river in the valley was also serene and magical, quite like that you see in Walt Disney movies. Anyway, was rather impressed with the culture of the Swiss people. An ordinary Sunday afternoon is unlike that you see in Singapore. It's not your usually hussle and bussle but rather relaxing. The Sunday atmosphere is there. In Sinagpore, it's the exact opposite. It feels like there is no Sunday at all. It's always rush rush rush...

However, there are numerous similarities between Switzerland and Singapore that are hard to ignore. Though both countries might be divided along cultural lines, however, both countries have four distinct races. In Singapore, it's Chinese, Malay, Indians and Eurasians whereas in Switzerland, it's German, French, Italian and Romanians. Aside from that, we share similar education systems and government policies.

That's it for Switzerland. Next would be France and then England in my next 2 entries.

Touring the West (Part 1)

Shall now give more insights on the 16 day tour of the great West, Europe.

From the start, it was obvious that this would be the most hectic trip ever for me because of the train schedules and itnereries on the list. Time was of the essence during this 'short' vacation. The moment we landed at Heathrow airport in London, the clock started ticking. It was go go go from here. First up was to get to Waterloo train station from Heathrow via train where we would then be able to take the Eurostar train bound for Paris, France. It was an agonising 45 min ride to Waterloo via the Tube as we had not completely adjusted to London time, which was 8 hours behind Singapore. Thus, it was tiring to have to step it up after an uncomfortable 12 hour plane ride from Singapore. Nevertheless, spirits were high and the mood was not dampened by jet lag. Very soon, the camera was flashing and eyes were popping from seeing the 'beautifully designed' train stations in London. Nothing very spectacular to be honest, just a train station.

So that's spectacular? You bet not... Just a view from the underground train station at Waterloo

That was the start of a journey of discovery of the sights, sounds and wonders of Europe, mainly France, Italy, Switzerland and London.

It was as if time had stopped. Or maybe we were lost in a time zone or something. Travelling to 3 countries in a single day feels as if one day has 48 hours. Just imagine crossing borders 3 times and experiencing different cultures, sights and sounds. Quite unique. Anyway, final destination was Rome, Italy via the overnight sleeper from Bercy, Paris.

Earlier, a good friend of ours warned us of pickpockets in Italy and true enough, it happened to us. But luckily, God was there to protect us. The syndicate, comprising of two ladies and a baby dropped the wallet at the last possible moment after a local lady chased them away. That was a close shave indeed. If the inevitable had happened, we would be a couple thousand dollars poorer. Moral of the story: Beware of strangers and pray to God for protection.

One thing I noticed about Italy is it's rich history. The Colosseo, Monumento A Vittorio Emmanuele II and the Vatican City are two great examples. The Colosseo, a monumental marvel of engineering in the 8th century AD, accomodated close to 50, 000 spectators and measures 186m by 144m (oval shape). It is the home of gladiators and took a mere 8 years to complete which was unbelievable during those days, considering the state of technology during that time. Made of limestone, it housed people after the Roman Empire collapsed. Currently, 98% of the ruins have been recovered though a mere 2% of the recovery process is ongoing.

Rumor has it that the Vatican City even has a secret underground passage which leads to the Monumento A Vittorio Emmanuele II, a magnificent and majestic building. It's purpose was so that the Pope could escape in case of an attack on the Vatican.

Below are photos taken of the 3 places mentioned above. Hope you get a feel of how large the place is and hopefully it would inspire you to visit it next time.

Monumento A Vittorio Emmanuele II. View from across the road.

The Colosseo, from inside. The entire floor covering the basement has been destroyed. The partially covered floor at the far end is a restoration.

The church where the Pope makes his speeches from (Balcony Window, right in the middle) in the Vatican City.

Another highlight is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as it is famously known around the world. Apparently, it has been refurbished, cleaned and restored bit by bit over many years. Bad engineering caused it to tilt at an angle. The ground on which the tower stood on consisted of soft sand which was sorely overlooked by the engineers during those times. However, the buildings around it are built on hard rock. So its an anomaly.

Leaning Tower of Pisa in the town of Pisa, Italy. Does it really tilt that much?

Actually from this angle, it does not.... But from afar..........

It certainly does when put side by side with another building! An illusion? Maybe.... I bet David Blaine has better tricks....

To claim that you have gone to Italy, you must have visited Rome and Venice at least. So that was the last place we visited in Italy, the floating city. Also known as the sinking city, Venezia, as affectionately known by the Italians, is a marvel in itself. The main mode of transport is by boat and the streets are really narrow, definitely not wide enough for a car to pass through. During Feburary each year, the 'Mask Festival' attracts over a thousand visitors from all over the world, dawning their fancyful masks and partying in the narrow streets. It usually lasts for a month.

Narrow, isn't it? That's how 'wide' the waterways are in and around the city.

Can you figure out what that means? The words are in four different languages, Italian, English, French and German. Try guessing the order which the languages are in......

A Gondola, a popular mode of transport for tourists with fat wallets!

That's it for Italy. Guess how many days we took to cover all these places? (visited Firance, another city in Italy also)

Stay tuned for Switzerland, Paris and London in the next edition.

PS: Comments are welcome!

Europe tour

It has been a pleasant and fruitful experience thus far. So far visited Italy, Switzerland, France and now England. Italy was quite memorable to some extent because it was very different from Switzerland, France and London in terms of the people, culture and places. Spent about 3 days there during which visited the historic city of Venice (also known as the sinking city), the Colosseo (built during the Roman Empire) and other historic places. After which, it was Switzerland where we covered Zurich, Luzern, Interlaken and Bern all in just a mere 3 days. Must say it was a challenge in itself. Next was France where we focused on visiting Paris within 2 days. Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower (2nd level not the highest coz it was closed due to high winds), Gard Du Nord, Gate De Gaul and the Louvre (famous museum where the Mona Lisa is).

Now am in London, Beaconsfield, staying at somebody else's house which I must say is very well built and cosy most importantly. Will give a more detailed update of this exciting and adventurous trip later. Chao.