Some moments in life whiz past you very swiftly that it is actually very difficult to recreate the entire magical and mystical moments. I will try and rediscover the exhilarating journey we undertook to the various cities in Western Europe.
When I descended in Rome in the Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, I was really very excited and couldn’t actually believe that I am in the country where most of my favourite footballers have their homes. Though we had a very tiring flight, I seemed to forget all that and was just waiting to catch a glimpse of Rome. We reached around midnight and we travelled to our Hotel in Tuscany. It was a good two hour journey and believe me everybody in the bus had dozed off and I had childlike exuberance to sit near the window seat and enjoy the country side of Italy. I felt really ecstatic when we went through provinces like Turin, Milan, Napoli, Sicily about which I have read only in papers. It was such a blissful feeling that I thanked God for making me breathe the air of Rome. There is no exaggeration when I say this. This is how I exactly felt.
The countryside of Italy was just stunning and I couldn’t wait till next morning to see what Rome had to offer the tourists. We had an Italian guide and it was sort of exciting to travel in a double decker bus with open top and I always rushed to take the seat in the top and the panoramic view of the city was mind blowing. The next day we were off to St.Peters Bascilica-the largest church in the world. I have seen it so many times on television and the usual sight would be the pope coming out of the church to give his blessings. When I was actually there the feel was completely different. I have seen so much of temple architecture. But I had not seen anything like what I saw here. The interior of the church is so mammoth and magnificent I have actually no words to describe them. The church is filled with the stunning sculptures of Michelangelo and I was really spellbound when I entered the basilica and God we had to finish seeing it in an hours’ time and I thought that it would at least take three full days to marvel at each and every corner of the church. Truly the greatest church in the whole world. Reluctantly I had to rush out of the church after an experience of a lifetime and next we were off to the Colloseum of Rome. The colloseum is again a gigantic piece of Roman history where the Gladiators fought and we just saw it from the outside. I was just wondering how the Italians had managed to preserve every bit of their old monuments with such grandeur.
Then in the evening we had been to the Trevi Fountain. There were lots of people tossing the coin into the fountain with their back facing the fountain. It is said that you have to wish something and throw the coin and it is believed that your wish would come true and you will also visit Rome again. Well I rushed to the fountain tossed a coin and perhaps wanted to visit Rome again in my life. Two things are striking about the Italians. Most men look extraordinarily good. You can write a book on their chiseled features. They are very vivacious and vociferous, extremely fun loving and the Italian ice creams and pizzas are very lip smacking. The next day we went to the city of Florence. It was a guided walking tour. There are more churches here, which are truly magnificent and gargantuan in size and I was wonderstruck looking at them and we had also been to the Uffizi museum where I stood breathless when I saw the original works of some of the world’s greatest painters. In most European cities there is something called the Central place or the Central Square where people flock during a carnival and generally have fun. The town planning and architecture is something, which I have never seen in my life. It is all very different.
Then we had been on a river cruise and reached Venice. Honestly I felt Venice is not all that great. Again there was a Gondola ride and everyone in the city own boats instead of cars to move around. Believe me the water is quite black in colour and not all that clean. Any day we can prefer the boat rides in our very own Kerala. So I personally felt Venice was a bit disappointing. Then we were off to Pisa. When you look at the tower, you are really scared that it might fall off. But I can’t say it was a magnificent sight and all that. It was just okay. That is all we saw in Italy and we next had to travel to Austria by road.
About Austria. …What can I say? Actually I can write a book on it titled Austria- Its Stupendous Splendors. We have seen many resorts and hill stations in India. Nothing can come anywhere close to this country. I think every Austrian would know to ski and that I think is the favorite pass time of the people of this country. I think I have to rate this as the most beautiful country you can ever manage to live. We had been to a city called Innsbruck. This city is breathtakingly beautiful. Ah I forgot to say about the hotel we had stayed. The hotel was situated at the base of snow-clad mountains and the whole place was covered with snow and ice. When I opened the window of my hotel room the snow-clad mountain staring at me from close quarters was a visual delight and I couldn’t help being mesmerized by the stunning mountains. In all my life I have never seen so much snow.
Though I felt very sleepy I made it a point to come out of the room at almost midnight and stood out all alone for a few minutes. It was just the freezing snow, the mountains and me………God I just cannot explain what I felt…………. You can’t help wondering about the creation of God. The next day we had been to the Swarovski Crystal World. This is a marvellous place where you get transported to another world. You have to actually stand in front of each exhibit and something unexpected keeps happening. This is there in a city called Wattens. Then we went to Vienna and I would rate it as the most scenic city in the whole world. You could see the mountains as the backdrop in whichever road you are standing and you couldn’t help wondering why God has managed to bestow so much beauty to a particular country. Then we travelled to a country called Liechtenstein…. The total population of this country in only 35,000 and the city looked like it is a set made for some Walt Disney Fairy Tale, so stunningly beautiful with gardens, castles, and a toy train is all that it takes to see the length and breadth(!) of this tiny country. Nevertheless a very enjoyable experience.
Then from Liechtenstein we were off to……… yes you guessed it SWITZERLAND. While I was young I have only heard of the place as honeymooning destination for the ultra-rich. Much to your surprise I was actually not very impressed by Switzerland. Okay it has got the never ending stretches of snow clad mountains, the placid lakes, the lustrous, shimmering and gleaming flowers scattered all over, the picture perfect post card sceneries, the very artistically built wooden houses with windows decorated with intricate laces, and carefully laid out gardens which would easily qualify to be the greatest feast for the human eyes. Mountains surround all cities. But I thought something was missing. I am not able to say what it is. May be it dint have bustling cities, may be the uneasy calm and silence which prevails all over, may be too much of snow. I never know.
But I have to mention about two things in Switzerland. A visit to the mount Titlis through three modes of transport, the cable car, the rotating cable car and the ice flier. When you are ascending the view from the cable car is simply astounding. Then we had been to place called Jungfrauch, which is the top most point in Europe. To reach the top you change two trains and when you reach the top the view cannot be explained in words. I was so jubilant that I was fortunate enough to stand amidst those imposing, grand, daunting and overwhelming mountains. When you look down, your head really goes spinning. When you look around there are people from all nationalities falling and playing in snow and capturing the moment of their lives with their loved ones. The other cities we visited in Switzerland are Zurich, Interlaken Meiringen and Geneva. .
Our next destination was France. I had already treasured every moment of my trip and just couldn’t wait to be in France……….. Apart from the Italian team, the French team because of Michel Platini was my favorite team and I remembered how I cried more than the French men when France lost in the Mexico world cup quarter finals.
As if we dint have enough of the mountains, we first went to a small town called Chamonix Valley and ascended up the cable car and saw Mont Blanc. The second highest peak in Europe. Since I have talked enough about the mountains, I will not elaborate. I fell in love with this small town where you have to speak English extremely slowly for people to comprehend. Now you know I had some difficulties while shopping.
Then from Chamonix we drove down to Paris. the fashion capital, the city of lights, the romantic city… You can use hundreds of sobriquets to describe this city. Honestly I dint have any expectations of this city. But once I reached there, I was simply spell bound to say the least. Paris is such a magnificent city. We first had an orientation tour. Let me just think how to explain this city. Again I have to mention that I have not seen such grandeur anywhere else. There are hardly any high-rise buildings. Their architecture is superlative and splendid. Paris is so huge that you may actually feel lost in the city. Firstly when I was in Paris… I had to pinch myself twice and when the coach we were traveling passed through the arterial roads, I couldn’t understand whether it is a city on earth or some kingdom in heaven. First we went to the Wax Museum in Paris. Again I was very elated to stand next to my favourite authors whose books I have read but never had a clue as to how they looked. I really felt like a kid and took photographs standing next to Ernest Hemmingway, Victor Hugo and Oscar Wilde. There were not much takers for these men even in France while there was a big queue to be photographed next to Julia Roberts. Very unwillingly I had to come out of the Wax Museum. And we were off to see the Eiffel Tower which has almost become the symbol of Paris. About the Eiffel I can only say one thing, even the cinematographer of Steven Spielberg cannot capture Eiffel’s real size and colour. It is so gigantic than you can ever imagine. So I think you have to be there personally to enjoy this engineering marvel. You can go up the Eiffel Tower in a lift and if you go to the third level…it is difficult to explain the feeling you experience. I think you require guys like Wordsworth or Milton. So I will stay away from doing it.
The next day we went to Euro Disney in Paris, which would actually take three full days to complete. I just dint go to any of the rides and I decided to enter the Walt Disney Studios where I saw how animation movies are created. You can draw your own cartoons and give your voice to the favorite Disney characters. I had been to a scintillating stunt show and we were the only Indian audience among some ten thousand other people. It was a live action motorbike and car stunt chase just like they show in AXN. It was a spectacular stunt show. After this show I had been to a place called cinemagique, which was thoroughly enjoyed by me more so because I am a movie buff. It is something like this… a man speaks in front of you about the different eras in English Movies… he then goes into the screen and joins with all famous characters of the celluloid starting from the Black and White era to the present Da Vinci Code. When it rains in the screen you can feel the water splashing on you and when it snows you can actually experience it and this was pure movie magic
I had not even entered the main part of the Disney world and it was time to leave. We had to return to the hotel and get ready to go to the Lido Show in Paris. Before that was the Seine River Cruise. To tell the truth when I was in all these places, which I have only read in books and papers, I was in a world of my own and wanted to make the most of it. I may sound a little immodest but if you have knowledge about sport, art, theatre, classics, authors, you enjoy Europe much more than the other people. Europe has so much history. When I went on a river cruise in the Seine river, I could see people sitting on either side of the river and talking endlessly and there were lots and lots of couples lost in each other’s arms doing something what Indians cant dream of doing in public places. I dint feel anything obscene in any of their acts. I could only feel that there was so much romance all around.
Later, I got ready to walk down Champs de Elysees which is considered to be the most fashionable street in the whole world. The road is so long that you don’t know where it begins and ends. The Lido show began at 9.30 p.m It was a spectacular song and dance event and actually I was a bit taken aback by the complete frontal nudity of the ladies in some of the dance numbers. Maybe it was a show more for men but since the show was continuing past midnight lot of men who travelled with us actually dozed off but it was some old guys past their sixties who dint take their eyes off those women. Apart from the fact that their nudity embarrasses you… the dancers had terrific talent and they had done some astounding numbers. The best part of the show is that you cant think that this show is just for some voyeuristic men Even a woman like me could appreciate this kind of art, but definitely you have to squirm if you have to watch with grown up children. I still couldn’t understand why kids were allowed to come.
Just like you have to rave about Italian men you have to admit that most of the French women have mind-blowing looks and a perfect body to boast. Can I add one thing here? Anyone in Paris would have been swept off their feet by these women and would surely be interested in at least having a wine with them in the innumerable intricately decorated road side pubs.
From Paris it was next to the Netherlands. Nothing really great about Amsterdam. It is a much smaller city. There are lots and lots of Wind Mills and Tulips all over town. It was a cruise in the Amstel River, the tulip gardens, the diamond factory, and one thing about Netherlands, whatever is banned in the outside world, it is perfectly legal in Netherlands. You can buy drugs in the stores, prostitution is legal, and even euthanasia (mercy killing) is perfectly okay. Quite strange isn’t it. While I was walking in the road I was rather bewildered by the dress (or the lack of it) the Bar tender was wearing and she had come outside to serve some men. I couldn’t help imagining what would happen in our country if an almost nude women walked freely in the road. Any way that was about Holland.
I will skip writing about Brussels and Antwerp in Belgium. Opinions may differ. But I will never want to visit these cities again…nothing really to write home about as far as I have seen.
Now to the final destination and what a grand finale… Yes I am talking about Great Britain… How we reached there was quite interesting, our whole bus entered the train called the Euro star and the train travels through the tunnel dug under the English Channel and the time taken to travel from Belgium to London is just 20 minutes. Amazing isn’t it!!!!!!! After Paris the city that really strikes you is London. Definitely the city has an aura of aristocracy. The majestic buildings stand testimony for the pride of the people living there. Just like the country is called Great Britain, I felt the English walk with their head held high. Everybody knows about London. Anyway I have to mention about the Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, the Buckingham Palace, the tower bridge, the Picadilly Circus area, each one is more fascinating than the other.
I was fascinated by their underground rail system. We had to change three trains at different levels and I had been to the Leicester Square, where there are large number of hangouts and theatres. I couldn’t but envy the people hanging around there. Even in Weekdays there was so much crowd and I think the youngsters spend their time in pubs and discos. I wanted to enter the drama theatre where Agatha Christie’s play Mouse Trap was running for the 64th year. Imagine a play running for 64 years…this is actually a Guinness record. Since no one was willing to come with me, I gave up the idea of watching it. We had just stayed two days in London and you can’t actually do justice to the city in two days… We just had a guided tour visiting only the important places. London is a lot different from Paris. Somehow I felt Parisians have more warmth and love. When you are in London you will definitely know that it is very aristocratic and the people are refined and well bred. When I was traveling in the train I noticed that the Brits don’t even look to see who is in front of you. Everybody is always reading some book or the other and they seem to possess the stern and staid look.
I would have loved to watch a play or a musical in the Royal Albert Hall, take a stroll in London’s Hyde Park, watch English premier league in Wembly, all this and much more.
So I had returned home with exultant memories, but I guess I was bitten by this travel bug and had an unquenched thirst for more.
