Ascent to the Crown - Mt Titlis

 The Iphone in our little room in Lucerne says its 11:39 pm, but even with my eyes drooping, the mind is playing out the exhilarating day I had, riding up 3000 meters by the majestic gondola, admiring Mt Titlis, the crown of Switzerland. Heaven on earth.

The people here are beautiful and friendly, maybe it is the beautiful nature they are surrounded by. It is heartening how they have done a lot to preserve what Mother nature has bestowed on them. Every tree cut is to be compensated for, the lady-guide said on the mike, in the huge, silent, luxurious coach, as she took us from Lucerne to Engelberg.

From there began the literal ascent to the ice capped peak, Mt Titlis. ‘’Do not look down’’, my friend warned me over Whatsapp. For me, who has a fear for high thrill adventures and flights, I must say it was not half as scary. Our cable car gently ascended the mountains. Breath-taking scenes of the mountains passed us, first decked in green gold. We glided past the grazing cows with their tinkling cow bells, then the green gave way to dark rockland patched with pristine snow. The dark and white patches very much looked like their cows.

The cows didn't give a moo while we climbed.....

Not unlike a Yash Chopra movie still.....

            Higher and higher the cable cars sailed, first thousand, then two thousand….and while I held my breath, 2500 m, no more green trees, only white, shining ice. I did wince when the clouds engulfed our car at 3000 m. I thanked God that the cable cars needn’t "see" anything to do what they were doing! Phew! Landed safely at 3000m of white heaven, with the Alps in clear view.

patches of snow on the rocks pretty much like the hide of the cows below

You will catch your breath as clouds blind you in your cable car...

But just as I was recovering my breath, the family dragged me onto the ice-flyer. It stopped mid-way, maybe to let the stiff wind pass. I peeped down to see that the mountains below were just 10-15 feet away… and was relieved to be back after a five minute stint on this vehicle. Was relieved that the ice-tubing section was closed... but wait, I still have to climb over the hanging bridge, again engulfed in clouds. As the bridge shook violently with so many climbers, I hung on to its sides, not able to see through the clouds, exactly how deep the cliff below was.

The bridge hanging mid-air, mid-snow...

Our legs dangling as we ride the Ice-flyer...the snow fifteen feet below

            After these real-life, high-thrill rides, with the best beauty I have experienced, I was least excited to see the cut-outs of SRK and Kajol in her jazzy green clothes at the entrance to the tourist centre there.

            Since the whole of Switzerland is so popular with Indians, we even got an Indian buffet, nearly Indian, and my fussy 9 year old actually ate a bite or two. We bought palak-paneer without the paneer (imagine that in cheese country), lentils and rice. At the appointed time, we scurried to the rotary gondola, which descended gracefully with almost a hundred excited tourists. In the lower stations, we changed into individual cable cars and again heard the gentle tinkling of the cows, the cows still didn’t care a hoot. Down on the ground finally, the mind still enticed by the beauty just witnessed and grateful for the safe trip, we packed samosas and idli at the Indian restaurant there, though I questioned the manager why his staff are not wearing gloves to pick food….no answer. The bus left soon after a few more pictures and a sip of ginger tea. Later the bus crew realised that a family was left back! Hope they have reached back safely… wish the crew called out attendance, a sure-shot way to make sure all are in. 

       The only news to mar this exhilaration was the family who fell hundreds of feet to their death, when the cable car that carried them in Gulmarg, Kashmir, fell due to trees falling on the cable! A basic mistake… how come the trees weren’t cleared around the cableways…