Swiss Made Grand Tour… 7 day road trip {II}

“It’s tough to find a place not to like in Switzerland.”
Michele Bachmann

Here’s part II of the Travelogue of our Swiss Made Grand Tour. A 7 day road trip that led us 1000 miles through four language regions, over five Alpine passes, to eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as two biospheres and along 22 lakes. A tour that promised to provide a concentrated insight into Switzerland, with exquisite scenic views and cultural jewels.Hosted by Switzerland Tourism, and organised by NDTV Good Times, it lived up to the promise and delivered much more! An experience of a lifetime, the first part here!

As we move from road to TV, the Swiss Made Grand Tour is now on air {beginning 21st October 2015 on NDTV Good Times}

As we moved from Vaud towards Interlaken, the beginning of German influenced regions of Switzerland, the landscape changed, and with it our comfort levels. We were HAPPY!!The architecture, the countryside, and the energy, all becoming less reserved and more robust, much like the energy in the team. Our comfort levels changed as dramatically. From virtual strangers to back slapping buddies, here onwards the road trip was just a bag of laughs. The camaraderie shone, madness ruled, the laughter never ceased.

The good part was that the three of us, food, travel and auto blogger, were always on time. 7am would see 3 bright, fresh faces at the breakfast table, no matter what! Talk about Swiss precision and clockwork etc. We were often running late as a team however, yet picking up from the last post, we made Gstaad in good time. There we were treated to the quintessential fondue pot, in the best way possible! Imagine sitting on a hill slope, in idyllic surroundings, panoramic views of the Alps, crisp fresh country air, cow bells echoing in the background, stirring a pot of the yummiest fondue ever?

Gstaad is famous in India for the rolling greens in the backdrop of the Alps where a great deal of Bollywood is shot. Thing Gstaad, think Yash Chopra. Fresh Alpine air, lush pastures and herbs ensure that the cheese you find here is the best possible. A visit to the Gstaad Cheese grotto, a virtual monument to cheese, endorsed that.With over 3000 wheels of the best cheese, some very rare, are stored in -8C conditions. Descended a very steep bunch of stairs into an old converted water reservoir, it was a ‘Cheese, I love you‘ moment!Rows upon rows of neatly catalogued cheese wheels, beautifully piped music, library like shelves, this was cheese heaven. The only reason we eventually ascended was because -8C does eventually get to you if you aren’t warmly clad. We weren’t! It was 35C outdoors, and we hit the road to Interlaken where we planned to have dinner.

Drove into Interlaken at 11pm to a city that was clearly in holiday mood and wide awake. Quick pizzas later we headed for very quaint Meriengen, our stop for the night. Crawling into bed at well past 2am, groggy eyed, I was up and out at 6am because of the steeple I could see from my window, the bell that chimed every 15 minutes. It was the quaintest towns ‘I’ve ever seen, one where I probably shot the most in the least possible time. Walked down the main street….The city was waking up, very gently, not a soul in sight. Before long we were at the breakfast room. Such a warm woody country feel to it, such a vast display of rustic Swiss collectibles beautifully showcased, lace trimmings, natural light … just so pretty.

Cars packed, we headed to first to the world famous Reichenbach Falls, famous for the apparent death of fictional hero Sherlock Holmes. A steep ride up in the funicular and we were greeted by the legendary falls, and breath taking views of the countryside below. Then much to my delight, a visit to the Frontal Bakery in the town of Meiringen, famous for being the inventor of the ‘meringue’. I’ve baked a few meringues in my life. Even though I am not a huge fan of this sweet bake, the ones we had here were the best I’ve ever had, especially the one above!I was a convert. Also because of the delightful way in which it was served! Wow!! Art on a plate! Sadly, it was time to leave. Yes. Again. We had more ground to cover, loads to see.

There was more history to come by way of Ballenberg, the Swiss open-air museum. What an absolutely fascinating idea and place to put together, literally a stroll through the past. Just amazing! So much culture, history, tradition and such great grub.  Out of Ballenberg towards Grindlewald and it was my turn to grab the wheel. Yes time to drive and I loved it. With views like the one above, saturated greens sweeping the countryside, wooden fences, bales of hay, wooden chalets. Took me the initial ten minutes to rewire the brain, the uber patient Neha by my side and soon it was bye bye camera, hello car! The next few days were quite the best as I drove in the mountains {first for me again}, through tunnels where 16 wheelers thundered by at high speeds like in video games, to sudden glimpses of shimmering blue waters.We stopped by at a sunset in Grindlewald and it was STUNNING. The valley below with rolling greens, clouds playing hide and seek with the mountain tops, tourists stopping by to take infinite selfies, then one call from the rest, we zipped towards the very stunning Swiss Alp Resort Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof.It was like stepping into ‘Heidi’s’ world. What an ah-mazing hotel! Early morning views of the sun kissing the Alps, of typical Swiss wooden chalets, of Neha sipping her first cuppa coffee in the balcony at 5.30am, of Sid racing up and down the stairs, then brewing me a cup of coffee.The next morning, I was met by the very sweet Bettina from the local Swiss tourism board, my driving companion, to explore Interlaken at leisure, maybe shop a little {there was no time for the latter}.

We spent ages languishing by Lake Thun watching elderly retired gentlemen soaking up the sun, playing with remote controlled sailboats and ducks lazing around like there was no tomorrow!

Lunch was overlooking the beautiful Lake of Thun. You have to love the Swiss for the great ambiance that goes to make food an unforgettable experience. Azure blue skies, shimmering water, gorgeous summer flowers, the odd seagull swooping down, the toot of the boat, sailboats being tethered…perfect atmosphere for a lazy afternoon meal. Tall delectable desserts later, with pictures to share, siesta might have been a good idea, but no rest for the wicked as Mandy gave us ‘the look’.

Herded back into cars amidst some very lame protest, we headed to yet another beautiful city, Lucerne, via the Swiss capital Bern. Yet not without stopping to enjoy the golden sunset that enveloped the countryside. It was a moment not to be missed, captured on film by the super efficient crew, and me on my cell.It was that part of the day when gold swept the countryside, cow bells echoes gently through every valley, the sky kissed the countryside and all was well with the world. The drive from there on was the best ever. Narrow country roads, high speeds, stunning countryside, lofty views from atop, we literally nosedived into Lucerne.

Lucerne, my favourite city, is a very popular tourist destination in Switzerland. If I had just one city to visit, it would probably be this one. We stayed in the heart of the city, and were fortunate to see it in every light. It’s a city that charms.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Every building has so much character, rows upon rows of heritage buildings, the wood bridge, clock towers, the castle that inspired Disney, ducks, flowers, dogs, cobbled streets, cafes, trams, sailboats, and bikes. You name it, they have it.So much to do, so little time. Early morning we hopped onto cable cars to scale Mount Pilatus, Lucerne’s very own mountain. The very sweet and lively Colette introduced us to Pilatus – maker of weather, dragon’s lair, home to giants and grave of rulers. It’s one of the most legendary places in Central Switzerland and one of the most beautiful. On a clear day the mountain offers a panoramic view of 73 Alpine peaks. You must hand it to the Swiss to make every mountain so easily accessible and yet keep the country environmentally friendly!We raced down at dizzy speeds on the Fräkmüntegg, Switzerland’s longest summer toboggan run, and then the rode with the new cableway “Dragon Ride” to Pilatus Kulm. There tried our luck with the Alphorn {miserable fail for Rachit & moi, full marks for Neha who suitably impressed, surprising pass for Sid}. Grabbed a 5 minute lunch, then hopped on to the historical Pilatus Bahn, the cogwheel train that was engineered way back in 1889!

Back in the city in a short while, it was time for something quintessentially Swiss – Chocolate! So Swiss, so fine, smooth, sinful, addictive. They spoil you with delectable bites with every shot of espresso. We were about to be spoiled further.

“Experience chocolate for the first time” read the sign on the door as we giddily swung into boutique Max Chocolatier located centrally on Lucerne’s Schweizerhofquai. What a treat to the senses. Relying on the phenomenal flair for nuances and aromas, the chocolatiers blend cocoa, temper chocolate and handcraft exquisite confectionery just above the boutique. Based exclusively on natural raw materials, we were treated to an assortment of freshly made chocolate, pralines, truffles and seasonal specialties – each a work of art, though gone in seconds! With pairings like mango we could have stayed here forever….…but the old city beckoned. Bathed in the gold of the setting sun, fascinating was the word. Turn a corner from the main street overlooking Lake Lucerne and there you are, in the middle of the most beautiful half timber buildings, painted fronts, that date back several hundred years, window art, wooden doors, cobbled streets, stone fountains.Since the city straddles the Reuss River it has several bridges, the most prominent of them the wooden covered Chapel Bridge. Originally built in 1333, it was almost destroyed completely by a fire in 1993 by a discarded cigarette. Restored since, it still has a series on paintings within that depict Lucernes history. It runs by the Wasserturm, a 13th century water tower, and together the two make the most famous landmark of this stunning city.

Also famous and iconic is the St. Leodegar {Hof Church} founded in the mid-8th century, part of the monastery which in turn founded Lucerne. A Gothic church preceded the existing German Renaissance building, but was largely destroyed by fire in 1633. Only the towers, St. Mary’s altar and a few religious objects remain in the existing 17th-century building. We literally dined under the stars. It was a delicious meal, peels of laughter, yet nostalgia in the air. The trip was coming to a close! Time flies and how when you’re having fun. It was time to head to Zurich. End of the trip. 

The brilliant hosts still had more for us – a lunch stopover at the most stunning Einsiedeln to have lunch and see the Einsiedeln Abbey enroute.

The Benedictine monastery  houses the Black Madonna, and is an important pilgrimage point for over a 1000 years. We were privileged to get a tour by the very charming resident Father Philippe. The interiors were awe inspiring – baroque style architecture with gleaming white, gold and pastel frescos, marble altars, and organ music echoing through the abbey, and the history of the abbey fascinating. {I took a quick video of the interiors on my cel}

That Abbey houses an age old library. There too books, religious and historical, over a 1000 years old, the interiors in white and pastels, with Baroque inspiration here too.So much to take in, and we hit the road for the final leg. Not without a jump into the lake for Sid though. It was then that we realised how much we were all going to miss these days. NDTV Good Times and Swiss Tourism were fabulous hosts who offered us the most awesome Swiss experience ever – best food, best roads, best architecture, best people and the best scenery! The cutest dogs too!Good things come in small packages, and we lived to experience just that! Well, we were also pretty awesome company!!

Come share our experience! Catch the show on NDTV Good Times beginning 21st October.
{There is a repeat at 5.30pm this evening, 25th October 2015}

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India