This monument was built in memorial of the Swiss guards who died during the French Revolution in the late 1700s. Mark Twain described the monument as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world".
Of course beautiful swans would be gliding across the river.
Positively enchanting.
For some reason I was magnetized by these little guys and the bright colors atop their heads and feet.
Through Swiss countryside.
Switzerland
For anyone that's been to Switzerland, it can easily be described as one of the most picturesque places in the world. Back in 2011, my brother and I visited my cousin Anu who worked at Novartis at the time. He lived in the quaint town of Basel, which was situated on Rhine River near the French and German borders. We only stayed a couple days then, but it was enough time to realize that it was one of the most breathtaking areas of Europe.
When I went back with my mom in May, her main desire was to visit Mt Titlis of the Uri Alps. I had no qualms about this and was a sucker for any chance to play in the snow. We based ourselves out of Zurich for the next few days and booked a tour the following day to visit Mt Titlis and the charming city of Lucerne. Anu and his family had taken my brother and I to Lucerne and I knew my mom would adore its irresistible charm.
Our tour began fairly early the next day and after departing the hotel, we boarded a bus full of animated tourists eager to venture off to Mt Titlis. Our tour also consisted of visiting Lucerne and the Lion of Lucerne monument. Then after a scenic drive through Swiss countryside, we'd take a series of Rotairs (revolving cable cars) up to the summit of My Titlis for 3 hours.
Atop Mt Titlis
My mom and I aboard the ski lift on the way to Buddha!
Can't help myself.
One of the more abstract versions I think I've seen...
Fresh from her descent down the hill, my mom thoroughly enjoying her toboggan.
TRAVEL TIPS: SWITZERLAND
Plucked from the pages of a fairytale, this enchanting bridge tops everyone's list of favorites in Lucerne.
Before leaving Lucerne, my mom and I scarfed down some delicious pizza from a restaurant my cousin took us to a couple years ago. We set off on the road again towards Mt Titlis, cherishing every glimpse of the Swiss countryside on the way. About an hour later we reached the base of Mt Titlis and separated into groups. To reach the summit, we ascended into the peaks in a smaller cable car followed by a large Rotair (the world's first revolving gondola).
Once we reached the peak of the mountain, the view was incredible. Thick white clouds blanketed adjacent mountains, but I felt like I could see forever into the horizon. Some Indian movies had been filmed on the mountain so there was a huge Indian population. But my mom and I couldn't get over the overwhelming beauty atop the mountain. We traipsed across the mountain teeming with snow and rode a ski lift to an alternate side of the mountain to visit a rock dubbed "Buddha" (reminded an Olympian of a Buddha statue). After that, we couldn't help but play some games on the mountain and take turns riding toboggans down a snow hill. Before we knew it, our time at Mt Titlis was over and we had to make our way down the mountain to our bus. Though time moved swiftly, it was an unforgettable memory I'll always cherish with my mom.
After getting back to the hotel, we spent the night wandering the streets of Zurich and finding dinner. Though I find Switzerland extremely tempting, it is very expensive for the average backpacker and hadn't included it on my solo itinerary. We ended up opting for a healthy salad from a nearby grocer and wrapped up our travels to Switzerland. We departed for Paris the following morning but our 2 day trip in Switzerland was well worth the time and money.