Chapter 3
Lucknow airport was very small but practically clean. We boarded a cab to proceed to their house. Yes I called it their house because mine was in Mumbai. We traversed through a number of narrow lanes which were congested with pedestrians walking even in the middle of the road. A number of bicycles and scooters slowly found their way. Vendors had occupied both sides of the road including the footpaths too. On the whole it gave me an entire picture of a country fair which I had painted in class four in my primary school.
It took quite some time to traverse this short lane and finally halted in front of an ivory painted gate with three steps leading to a wooden door. It was locked from outside, when Reena aunty got down, searched her purse pulling out a bunch of keys, and opened the door. Then she descended those three steps opened the door, helped me out and said, “Welcome to our little home.”
It was indeed a little home in a little lane, but I kept my cool and waited for a better inside. After climbing the three steps I entered a small open courtyard of 20 by 20 feet. At the extreme end of it was a freshly painted dark green iron staircase, leading to the upper story of the house. At a glance I could judge that this was a newly constructed addition to the house.
“This is your room make yourself comfortable. You must be really exhausted with the long journey.” With words Reena left me all to myself to survey my special newly constructed room. The teak wood door and windows filled the atmosphere with fresh varnish smell, a bit irritating to the eyes. The sky blue walls were glowing with freshness. Matching curtains draped the two windows on the extreme end of the room. The queen sized bed wore matching sheets and pillow covers. A brand new two seater sofa sat in one corner with a glass top coffee table in front of it.
A door at the foot end if the bed was half ajar, so taking it to be the rest room, I rushed in to ease myself. It was unused and practically clean. I nearly screamed when I was greeted by a huge lizard dancing across the roof. It played hide and seek for a moment, went behind the mirror, out again and finally found a shelter in a corner. Who was afraid of whom I was not able to decide.
I glanced at the reflection in the mirror on the wall over the sink. She stared back at me with wide eyes, as if inquiring, “So Asha dear, how did you like the bridal welcome in your new home?” So this was my little home where I was to spend the rest of my life. I waited for mum to call me and find out how was my new home, but she probably knew all the facts and gave me time to make a new start in my new home. Momentarily my thoughts wandered to my bed room space where marble and glass gleamed in contrast to the rich jewel toned fabrics, heavily carved mahogany wood and silk covered upholstery. Then I immediately pulled the reigns of my wandering thoughts and held them from going astray.
This was a house and not a home. A home would be formed when we all develop a bond of love and affection with each other. I just stretched myself on the bed, closed my eyes, and tried to wear a cool expression, making best effort to conceal the tension.
It was then that Reena entered with a tray having a cup of coffee and some biscuits. I immediately sat up and said, “Aunty you could have called me down, why did you trouble yourself?” She said in a loving motherly tone, “I am your mama now, I will try my best to be your mum, but you can call me mama.” I just nodded my head.
The next two days flew away in my unpacking and packing for the Switzerland trip which I was looking forward to. I was extremely excited as we were going for our honeymoon trip the next day. All packing complete, I once again took out the envelope mum had handed to me at the airport. Very affectionately she had said, “This is a special gift from me.” Seeing my hesitancy she had clarified, “Darling, it has your tickets and hotel stay papers for your honey moon trip.” I checked all the papers, our passports and secured them in my purse.
When the plane descended below the papery white clouds, I took a glimpse of the aerial view of Zurich, the wonderland of scenic peaks, valleys, villages and lakes in the Swiss Alps. Traveling by first-class and staying in some of the most charming places in the country. We will stay for several nights in each place, which will give time to have a good look around. Our customized itinerary had been carefully created by mum to include the most scenic parts of the Alpine region, and the most beautiful towns: majestic pinnacles towering over green foothills, with little villages nestled at their base in green meadows. They were visible like small toys scattered on the ground. We were to see it all in our visit.
“Touring Switzerland is almost like visiting all of Europe in one small country. This country is a fascinating mix of French culture in the west, German in the east and Italian in the south. Most Swiss also speaks English, so you will have no trouble communicating.” Mum had briefed me about all this in the past two days. “You will discover cobblestone lanes for pedestrians winding past ancient buildings that have the most modern shops inside, with everything spotlessly clean and well organized. This is the land of efficiency and charm, with very friendly people. The best of both worlds, old and new.” She had added.
After checking into the hotel Rohit and I were of course tired with the eight hour flight from Mumbai, so both of us took a good shower and skipped dinner. We cuddled into the warm bed and decided to wake up fresh and start our tour and enjoy every bit of it. But Rohit was in no mood to sleep. He reminded me of my promise, “Our first honey moon night will be in Switzerland.”
But then comes the first night, we're both virgins and I was slightly nervous. I’d been told first time sex isn't great, which is fine, there will be plenty of room for improvement and our honeymoon will give us plenty of time for practice. But the thought of someone else seeing my naked body is strange. Is there a time to change into sexy lingerie? How weird will that be? Is this going to be a really awkward night? Does someone who maintained their virginity until their wedding night have something encouraging Or any tips or advice? We were virgins too on our wedding night. At least I was. I wasn't nervous about it at all until we actually got to the wedding night, and then I felt awkward. But my husband was so sweet and calming . We took our time getting to the sex part, and he made me feel comfortable and safe. I think the most important part for me was that he didn't rush me and we took as much time as we needed. Just made sure to communicate with my husband that I was feeling nervous and need to slow down. I think it was only for this reason that he had given me sufficient time and said let our first night be in Switzerland.
I was also very excited, but apprehensive. My heart pounded, nostrils flared and the blood circulating through my vessels started tingling. My breathing became very rapid and finally I gave in.
Next morning, after a good buffet breakfast, our visit began in Lucerne, one of the world's prettiest towns, set on a beautiful waterfront, along the shores of Lake Lucerne and the River Reuss, surrounded by majestic mountains. They truly have it all. Lucerne is deservedly the most popular destination in Switzerland, famous for its well-preserved Old Town, consisting of many blocks of medieval buildings richly decorated with painted murals showing village life in olden days, making this like an outdoor art gallery. I felt it was like Heaven on earth. In my heart of hearts I thanked mum for selecting this wonderful trip for us. Every now and again Rohit would encircle me in his arms and we walked so close to each other to transmit the body warmth to one another.
Two days of time to enjoy Lucerne using its base for travels by train and boat to nearby sights was sufficient. Temperatures were very pleasant in May, reaching the 60
s and 70s, for Lucerne sits at an elevation of just 1,300 feet. Some of the nearby mountains were 10,000 feet, with snow-covered glaciers, but the temperature in town was very comfortable. Many restaurants and cafes had outdoor seating, some of them on the beautiful banks of the Reuss River that flows through town, so it was really nice to sit in the fresh air and enjoy your meal. When a little tired Rohit and I used to occupy a table and sip a hot cup of coffee.
The steep gabled roofs, covered with strong wooden shingles to ward off the winter snow, gave a picturesque scenario. Automobiles were not allowed into this large historic zone, so we had to wander the cobbled lanes without fear of getting run over. The shopping was fun, with many items pure Swiss in character, like music boxes, chocolates, watches, cuckoo clocks, cowbells, beer steins, hand-carved wooden statues, costumed dolls, cheese, knives, embroidery, linens, music, and we could also find very good deals on clothing. The two main watch shops were Bucherer, a multi-story extravaganza, and Gubelin, facing each other on the lakefront at Schwanenplatz. From here we purchased a couple of gifts for our family.
You can't get lost in this small place - the Old Town surrounded on one side by the river and lake, and on the other by a hillside and ancient fortified wall, which we could climb. So we were free to wander.
In the heart of Lucerne is its major landmark, the 560-foot long Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrucke, the oldest covered bridge in Europe, first built in year 1333. But in 1993, after 660 years, this Lucerne icon was destroyed by fire, only to be rebuilt by the efficient townspeople within a year in the original style - and by now has weathered to a mellow patina that once again looks hundreds of years old.
The heroic rise from ashes symbolizes Swiss pride in their past and modern ability to get things done. Even here, it sometimes takes forever to repair old buildings or construct new ones, but the quality upon completion is unsurpassed. Adjacent to the bridge is the 110-foot high Water Tower, also nearly 700 years old, the most photographed image in town. For the best picture, lure some swans into your foreground with the bridge and tower behind. I am glad we took a guide at times, who could explain all these historic details to us.
The guide then took us to the other landmark which was the huge Lion Monument, carved deeply into the sandstone cliff to commemorate the 1792 death of 786 Swiss mercenary soldiers that were trying to defend King Louis XVI in Paris. Completed in 1821, it depicts a noble, mortally wounded lion, regal but dying from a spear thrust in the ribs, making a grand tragic statement of historic pride carved in stone.
It is said to be “the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world." The Old Swiss House, one of the best restaurants in Lucerne, was located in front of the Lion Monument, where we stopped for lunch. With its traditional half-timbered wooden beam construction dating back to 1859, this is truly a landmark of Lucerne. They served the best Wienerschnitzel, sinfully sautéed with a stick of butter right at your table, and superb fresh fish from the lake, and many other items from an extensive menu. Comfortably elegant, the cozy interior was a perfect setting for a memorable meal. Fortunately Rohit and I agreed on the same dishes and enjoyed the flavor of all of it.
The Hoffkirche, or Collegiate Church, is another attraction in this part of town, on a hill overlooking the lake, four blocks south of the restaurant. We just saw it from a distance, as I did not want to walk up the hill.
Walking a few blocks back into the center of town along the main pedestrian walk was the shopping street, Hertenstein-Strasse, and head for the Kornmarkt, a small square with the Old Town Hall, built in 1602 with two distinctive styles that mirror Swiss cultural heritage: Italian in the lower section, echoing the Florentine Renaissance, and a Bern farmhouse wooden shingle pitched roof. I took special care to jot down the difficult places in my diary, as a souvenir to be kept with me. It should have every detail in it. Rohit was making fun of me saying, “Are you going to write a thesis on your trip to Switzerland?”
We discovered several small plazas in the middle of the Old Town, where cobblestone pedestrian lanes come together and form a charming open area, ringed by ancient buildings and sidewalk cafes, with a fountain in the middle. Small independent shops and a few department stores were there. It was real fun going around all these places before returning to the hotel.
The banks of Lake Lucerne offer a most picturesque walk, through manicured gardens, past picnickers, swans, fishermen, bobbing boats, and tree-lined paths. This stroll was especially dramatic at sunrise, when the water turns to gold. Rohit and I were in the most romantic mood so we set out for a stroll along the banks of the lake like a couple of swans floating in the sky blue waters of the Lucerne. We went around the farmers' market, with cheeses, breads, fruits, produce and pretty flower stalls, which stay open through mid-day. After the refreshing sunrise excursion we headed back to our hotel for breakfast and prepare for the day's activity.
The most exciting, convenient excursion out of town was to Mount Titlis, where we got a chance to frolic in the snow at the top of a mountain, just two hours from Lucerne. Because it has a glacier at the 10,000-foot summit, there is snow all year round, so it was really thrilling to go up and play, especially for us. It was very easy to get there.
Took the scenic train one hour to Engelberg, enjoying beautiful views of the mountains, farms and villages along the way. At one section this became a rack railway, where the train gears engage a metal strip between the rails and pull the train up the steep incline, We held our hands tight and walked in the aisle leaned over at 45 degrees, Rohit quickly took me in his arms when I was about to lose my balance and topple down. Everyone around us started giggling at this sight.
Mount Titlis provides a spectacular view into the heart of the Alps, with lofty peaks of the Jungfrau, Munch and Eiger visible in the distant. The Titlis viewing platform at 10,000 feet has an elaborate multi-storied restaurant, café and gift shop complex, along with an ice tunnel into the glacier. In typical Swiss fashion, they have civilized this mountain peak like so many other similar perches in their realm. We walked right onto the glacier from the panorama terrace and frolicked in the snow. It was cold enough, the snow never melts, but in the summer with typical sunshine we were comfortable with just a light jacket. We returned to town, well before dusk, enjoying the scenery a second time in reverse. Now we spent a very pleasant afternoon enjoying a boat ride on Lake Lucerne
At night we attended the dinner show at the famous Stadtkeller in the heart of the Old Town, where we were totally entertained by traditional Swiss music, with costumed performers yodeling their hearts out, throwing colorful flags around, playing spoons, bottles and brooms, and just putting on one heck of a lively show. The food was very good, with a choice of traditional items like bratwurst, sliced veal in mushroom cream sauce, fondue, chicken or fish, accompanied by roasted potatoes, which are similar to hash browns but better. We were always trying these different dishes, which was their specialty
A superb combination boat and funicular ride was the trip to Mt. Pilatus, the mountain that towers over Lucerne. Took a boat from the dock in front of the Lucerne train station to Alpnachstad, which took one hour and ten minutes, then we rode up the world's steepest cog-wheel railway to the top of Pilatus for a sweeping view of the lake and Lucerne. There was a nice rustic restaurant, and even a hotel at the top where we enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and then returned by a slightly faster alternative with a different routing, by the cable car down the back side of the mou
ntain to Kriens, and walked a few blocks to the city bus stop that that took us to the hotel.
We were like love birds and flew from one place to the other enjoying every bit of the beautiful heavenly Switzerland. Finally the trip came to an end, and taking a last glimpse of the beauty from above the clouds we set out for our own home. It was like dropping down from a heavenly perch to the earth below.