We have a very special guest writer this week – our youngest ever – fourteen year old Parishka Gupta from Faridabad, India, a budding travel writer and seasoned citizen of the world. ENJOY!
Lucerne, Switzerland. Photo credit: Creative Commons, Edwin.11
When I step upon the cobble-stoned streets on Lucerne, Switzerland, the music of bagpipes and violins starts playing in my brain.
Lucerne is the city of lakes. In the morning the sunlight first strikes the streets, bathing them in gold, and then creeps its way to the lakes, and the light ripples created by the breeze make the sunbeams dance across the glassy water’s surface. Buildings with slant red rooftops line the streets. They are coffee-coloured, mud-brown, sandy, chocolate-brown and all other shades of brown and yellow line. Colourful umbrellas shade the delicate chairs and tables that line the margins of streets and lakeside. There were so many shop display windows which made me forget my surroundings and stop and gawk.
The roads of Lucerne are spick and span and tempt one to walk to the centre of the road and enjoy the pretty view of superb greenery. The trains of Switzerland are also extremely attractive. Something to look out for is the chance to take a photograph with the train and its passengers in the foreground and Mt. Titlis in the background. The perspective is incredibly picturesque. Lucerne’s natural beauty makes time slow down.
A beautiful road stretches out of the town; disappearing in the distance with lush green trees lining it. People moving around in warm jackets, and above all, the Mt. Titlis in all its grandeur towering the scene. Our trip to the heights of Mt.Titlis began with a sweet cable car. The wonderful picture of Lucerne from the air is still easy to remember as I write. It was a memorable experience indeed; where one felt as though they were rapidly increasing in height with the surroundings cowering below.
As we continued creeping towards heaven, I could feel the temperature drop and the cold settled upon us as if it were a silvery-soft cloak. Our breaths turned misty and our surroundings went white. Hands started stuffing into coat and jacket pockets and in no time, everyone around was bundled in snow jackets and caps. Only the twinkling eyes of the children were showing as they were wrapped in layers of clothing.
Now, let me help you picture this– we stand on the icy breath of the Snow Queen gazing at her stupefying and vast kingdom. Sunglasses shade our eyes from the blinding sunlight; challenging us to take them off and giving at least a cursory glance at the fulgent white sheet of snow punctuated by ice and rock giants. As our gaze crept down the icy slopes there are bursts of green plant life; and far below are velvety soft patches of green and the complete jolly town of Engelberg before us.
Titlis Glacier Cave: Photo Credit Creative Commons, Mathanki Kodavasal.
After that, things got icy. We entered the Glacier Cave. The temperature dropped tangibly and there was a deep silence. The glacier’s heart was pervaded by atmospheric light and sound. Crystal clear, but burning cold sculptures were all around. I could almost hear the silence whisper its poetry. The mountains were an Ice Kingdom that wished us both a terrific vista and entrance to the Doors of Death. As we left the cave a brilliant blue sky greeted us. The chairlift from the summit would hover a neat thousand feet from the ground. It was the most memorable part of the trip.
We then headed towards the Titlis Glacier Park. Snow can really be some serious fun! Throwing snowballs at random people, sliding over piled snow until our backsides were sore. Then came the proper snow sports and we were served with snow tubes, snow scoots, snow sledges and a lot of other snow toys. I loved the snow tubes the best. One the edge of a long, steep slope you are bundled in a rubber tube with very small handles. You can see a long way down and all sorts of thoughts swim in your head. “What if I crash into that big rock and prove myself a complete nincompoop? What if I never stop sliding? What if I–” and then your flow of thoughts cease abruptly and you are pushed really hard from the back and off you go!! The former pleasant breeze morphs into icy tentacles, stinging and slapping your skin as you skid away. At the bottom your excitement at surviving is tempered by the knowledge that now you have to drag your your tire all the way back up the slope which just gave you a near-death experience. Phew! Tiring, but worth it.
Our experience was surreal, and whenever we recall our icy trip to Lucerne the memory freezes in our brains, making it numb with nostalgia and a maddening desire to run away to the sound of silence once again.
Parishka Gupta lives in Faridabad, India and is born in Delhi, India. She is fourteen years old and has been passionate about writing as well as travelling since the age of seven. She has travelled to Black Forest in Germany, Venice, Switzerland, Paris, London, Goa, Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. On growing up, she combined her writing skills as well as her love for travelling when she was ten years old. The next year, her English teacher appreciated and encouraged her writing skills. Parishka is also interested in writing poetry. Her teacher also helped her in publishing one of her pieces in the Times of India Student Edition.Parishka went on to win them Sverdlovsk Regional Public Children’s Organization “Lotsman” (Russia) twice in a row. She also has a travel blog of her own which is just the beginning. She now wishes to grow up to become a freelance travel writer and travel the world.