Europe, 17 February - 3 March 2010
Robert Tyabji, Shah Alam, March 2010
Why did we visit Europe during one of the severest winters in decades? We meant it to be a surprise for Adil who at the time was working in Switzerland - but we didn't know that Adil had already finalized plans to move to Vancouver! As our tickets to London were unrefundable, we switched plans and decided to visit friends and relatives in Italy, Switzerland and France instead. The prospect of Europe during a severe winter was daunting as we had only our old winter clothes from Nepal and a couple of mountaineering jackets and shoes.
Sure, it was very cold, wet and windy at times, but these were as nothing compared with the warmth and joy we got out of being with our relatives and close friends ;and Europe was as wonderful as ever17 February: Depart KL for Stansted, UK, on AirAsia-X. A comfortable if long (14 hours non-stop) journey. Overnight at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Stansted Airport.
We were told we could quite easily walk to the hotel from the airport. The hotel lobby was most welcoming and warm after having dragged our bags for 10 minutes along the icy pavement. As we were checking in I noticed a circular bar right there in the lobby and so made a beeline for it. It was the first time I set eyes (and elbows) on a bar of this kind. I had never heard of a wine angel before; but there she was, suspended upside down, clutching a bottle in each hand as she floated downward towards us. Dressed in something that resembled leotards, she was suspended in a harness and floated up and down inside a rectangular rack of wine bottles that extended all the way to the ceiling twenty feet above. Soft music accompanied her graceful moves. It was really hard to not order more rounds!
18 February: Ryanair to Pisa
Jenny Haslett, a good friend from Yemen days (pic) who has lived in the Siena area for years, was at the airport to meet us. With her as expert guide we spent the next three days exploring Tuscany, the beautiful rolling countryside with its vineyards and olive groves, its wondrous walled cities, the imposing cathedrals and churches with their priceless frescoes and art treasures, and of course the scrumptious cuisine... and on the 20’th, a quiet celebration of Hootoksi's birthday in a quaint restaurant in Pienza and photos in the town's famous Via Dell'Amore (Love Street).
21 February
Eurorail from Siena to Zurich, an 8-hour journey through northern Italy, Ticino in Switzerland, the thrilling ascent to the Gotthard pass and tunnel, then on the other side the picturesque lakeside villages and the final run along the lake to Zurich Hauptbanhof.
We were met at the station by my cousin Ronni and Hootoksi's cousin Feroza (the story of their meeting and subsequent marriage can be found here).
We settled ourselves in their home and began our week of visits: Uncle Cavas in Zug; cousin Leo and Tanja Lalkaka and their kids Jason, Liam and Tara near Zurich; Cousin Kaikoo and Silvia Lalkaka over dinner in a restaurant in Germany; cousin Peter Urban and Maya in Gattikon; Heinz and Rita Rieben, our friends from Tanzania days, in Bern; Oskar and Irmgard Hirschbrunner (also from Tanzania days) in Bruttelen; and Rosa's sister Claudia and her husband Nfamara in Zurich.
Bern, the Swiss capital is particularly beautiful with its cobbled streets and heritage buildings. It's one of the rare capitals without high rises. The whole town is dramatically on a bend in the River Aare, surrounded by distant forested hills.
Ronni skipped work and took us to Engelberg and the triple cablecar ascent to the summit of Mount Kleine Titlis. We had drinks at the ice bar in the Titlis Igloo Hotel. Here, some tourists pay substantial sums of money to spend frozen nights in sleeping bags on beds of ice in rooms made entirely of packed snow! We rode further upwards on the open ski lifts and watching the skiiers I had an insane urge to try it myself but quickly thought the better of it! A few of them I thought were taking enormous risks attempting to descend rocky, precipitious mountainsides but I learned that this was a popular if dangerous sport among skiing circles. I'll stick to walking in the park!
The weather was 'fine' - it wasn't raining but everything was shrouded in mist and cloud and it was COLD! We were waiting for the cable car to take us down to the town when all of a sudden the skies opened and the sun lit up a stunning vista of mountains and valleys. Glorious!
Neither of us felt any the worse for the altitude as we have lived for years in higher places - Bhutan, Yemen and Nepal - but it was good to be back in Engelberg at a more reasonable altitude!
28 February
Swiss Intercity Rail from Zurich to Geneva, a beautiful ride through rolling countryside then along the northern shore of Lac Leman to Geneva nestled at the lake's southern end. Swiss trains, like everything in this country famous for precision and exactitude, run with the accuracy of seconds, good enough to calibrate one's watch, but problematic if one is late or careless! Waiting on the platform were our close friends Sanjay and Sonya Acharya who then whisked us to their home in the picturesque Geneva suburb of Genthod, a couple of minutes' walk from the lake shore and 10 minute's stroll through fields into France.
In the evening we met their son Nikhil (who we hadn't seen since 1984 and who, like his Dad, works for the UN) and his French girlfriend Matilde, who also works with the UN (most people in Geneva seem to work at one of the many UN agencies there.) We later met Ghislaine, one of our Malay Language classmates back in KL, for drinks in one of Geneva's laid back bars.
Because of its international flavor and unmatched setting under the mountains by the lake and next door to France's picturesque Ain region (department), Geneva is a super city to live in, nicer than Zurich and more stimulating than Bern or the other Swiss towns. Geneva's relaxed ambience is immediately felt and its traditional architecture is largely preserved, in contrast to some of the other Swiss cities. One can't help but notice, particularly in Zurich, the stark, boxy, minimalist architecture of the newer structures, devoid of any redeeming embellishments, that appear everywhere in ugly contrast to the beauty of the older buildings nearby and lovely countryside beyond. Sadly this seems to be a common phenomenon; the hideous aluminium-and-glass hotel situated bang opposite the magnificent cathedral in Lincoln, England, and the concrete structures encircling Kuala Lumpur's stately twin towers, are examples that spring immediately to mind, although the Malaysian architects and builders have at least taken pains and spent money to present interesting facades. Lamentable that nowadays efficiency and cost have so often become paramount considerations at the expense of ambience, aesthetics and comfort.
1 March
Our good friends Rolf and Czikus have lived for years in France just across the border from Geneva, so it was with intense pleasure that we spent a couple of days in their home. We were lucky enough to catch their older daughter Michaela (we hadn't seen her since the 1980s) who was visiting from Holland. Rolf was my supervisor at UNICEF in New Delhi and Bhutan, and we became good friends with both of them over the years. Czikus took us into the mountains behind their village to the ski resorts, cross country ski slopes and even a cheese factory which we raided with gusto. The drive was thrilling, with spectacular panoramic views of Lac Leman, Geneva and the Swiss Alps, Montblanc towering above the others.
On 2 March Rolf selected a nice restaurant in Geneva for dinner. Sanjay and Sonia, who knew Rolf and Czikus well in Delhi and Bhutan, joined us for a final get together.
3 March
It's early in the morning and Rolf drives us to Geneva airport. Once again we say “Abientot, mon ami”, till next time. Easyjet brings us smoothly to Stansted 11 hours before our AirAsia flight back to Malaysia, so we crash in a day room at the Radisson Blu. A couple of hours later we take a train to Bishop's Stortford, the nearest town with shopping, to browse and a late sandwich lunch. That night we settle in for the return run to Kuala Lumpur. The journey is a couple of hours shorter thanks to westerly tailwinds. Is Europe pushing us away?
We love Europe. We love the old cities, the countryside and the food, but the flavors and friendly chaos of Asia are irrevocably part of our genetic makeup. So, we are grateful to return to Asia's warmth and into the womb of our own home. We loved being with our cherished relatives and friends and we hope they will give us the opportunity to host them someday soon.