Quirky things about Switzerland

Art! Art! Art Everywhere!
When in Switzerland, you will find creativity at its best.

If they can ramp up an old shoe to something like this, well do I have to mention how creative Switzerland art look like?

Flowers at the windowpane

And be ready to be mind-blown by the wooden houses with blissful flowers adorned on their window panes.

Go on and on around the winding cobblestoned alleys of Brienz to treat yourself to the popular traditional wooden houses decorated with flowers.

Forget about the wooden houses, even the modern houses have their window panes or balcony decorated with flowers.

Colored Window doors!

Whether it is wooden house or modern house, you would find window doors in interestingly colored traditional patterns.

Excellent public transport system
Ohoo! This is my favorite part of travelling in Switzerland.Trains are perfectly timed to catch the next connecting bus or worse next connecting boat cruise.

Everything in your hand
A one stop solution for any worries regarding Public transport - SBB App.

We loved this app and anyone would love it too. Read ''Travel at your ease with Swiss travel pass and SBB App''

Time

No doubt that they are the finest manufacturer of clocks. They value time.

All public transports were on time throughout the duration of our trip! Not even delayed in seconds.

Organised

The best part about this country is that everyone is completely relaxed and no one is in a hurry ever. Even in the busiest hours, you would see office goers wait for the passengers to get down before getting in.

When you are crossing a zebra line (irrespective of the color), you would find the person driving the car stop for you to cross. No rush-push! No hurry! Just Chill!

Can you imagine such a thing in India?

Flowers, an untold affair

They love flowers. No No! It’s not just love. Imagine it in a superlative degree!

You would find a bouquet shop in every street having some exquisite collection of flowers. 

  

Hiker’s Paradise

Home to more than 200 mountains(over 3000 meters height), Switzerland indeed is a hikers paradise.

Read about my spine chilling journey of climate change in Morterarsch glacier.

You can do any hike all by yourself as the sign boards are perfectly placed and there is no chance for you to get lost in the woods. 

Best Water Management in place

Every town/city in Switzerland has a lake. Yeah from Zurich to St. Moritz, every city has their own lake.

St. Moritz town surrounding its lake

Studies have proven that Switzerland water is of highest quality that you can drink water from any tap.

Switzerland indeed a dreamland!

When a dense fog, which blanketed the view of the Spiez castle and its surroundings, moved its way, looking out of the world, we couldn’t but marvel at the scenery painted in front of us. Of course this dreamland threw us lot of surreal scenes like this at every nooks and crannies.

PS : This was the view outside Spiez Rail station

Another one from Brienz! When your railway station looks something like this, do you ever need a vacation from this place?

Divided by language, United by Nation

To know what Multilingualism is to Switzerland, one must visit Switzerland and experience it. 

To those, who aren't aware of the Switzerland's multilingualism, here’s a pictorial depiction.

You would find German part of Switzerland speaking German, while French part of Switzerland speaks French and yet living in perfect harmony with each other, despite the difference in language and culture.

You won’t find them mixing up English, when they talk to their peers. And almost all citizens are well versed in at least two languages. 

This peaceful co-existence among different language groups is indeed a pride factor for Switzerland.

Souvenir? Swiss cowbell ! 
Thinking of souvenir to take it back to your country, look no further! Cow bells hanging everywhere at different sizes can make it to be the best souvenir you can buy.

DDLJ fans out there? I know I know! You can't leave without buying it right? 

Chocolates anyone!

Sometimes in life, all you need is a little chocolate to lift your mood right? Is this the reason behind Switzerland's happiness quotient?

If you have plans to buy chocolates for taking it back to your country and you are staying anywhere near the border of Austria, I would recommend buying it in Austria as the price of chocolates were less than half that of the price of chocolates in Switzerland.

Happiness Index in Switzerland

As per 2018 Happiness Index issued by United Nations, Switzerland holds the fifth position in the world.

Well! Happiness seemed contagious in Switzerland.

Feel at home in Switzerland

Be it the conversation we had with the co-passenger we met in our first train or the smiling attendant in Interlaken Ticket counter who answered all our questions patiently(for four days!), everyone was so polite and made us feel at home while guiding us.

These are the few things I observed on our trip to Switzerland. Have you ever visited a country and wondered how much different they are from your own country? 

Sewed in patches from past

It was our first day in Jaisalmer. We started our day with a mandatory visit to Golden fort. When in the land of fort, who would afford to miss it?

But what came in as a pure surprise was that the colourful shops which awaited us in the crowded lanes of Jaisalmer fort.

Just as we entered the fort , my friend pointed at something colourful hanging onto our left.

Allured by the beautiful embroidered masterpieces hanging all around the place, we went on to have a closer look of what it is.

On enquiring, the rosy cheek vendor standing near the displays, started explaining that these were Patch worked Wall Hangings made from old clothes bits.

Wow! Interesting way of recycling old clothes right?

On his insistence to have a look at the pieces inside his shop, we had a brief look at the pieces and proceeded to other shops in the fort.

Even after roaming half a day looking for similar kind of patch works, we couldn't find a better shop than the one we saw near the entrance.

We headed back again to the shop.

Place - The Shop near the fort entrance

There we were sitting in the shop and looking at the wall hangings the shop owner had started to show.

Patchworks are basically a collection of cloth bits interestingly hand stitched together.

He had been showing us different types of Patch works like Pakistani, Afghani, Gujarati, Kutchi, Rajasthani.

While Pakistani patch works had a royal touch as their works used more of Jardosi, Rajasthani works had an ethnic flair with more of embroidery.

Pakistani patchworks

But Gujarati and Kutchi patch works had got artistic mirror works in them, which made them stand out of the lot. We were lost for choices looking at the authentic pieces.

Indeed a show of textile scrap art!

Peek behind the making of Patchworks

These shop owners teaming up with rural artisans, creates such beautiful master pieces of handicrafts like these.

Doing these patchworks are the livelihood for many women in the nearby villages, who aren't given proper education. Far from the hullaballoo, lives these authentic art forms, which are the livelihood of a community. It is sad that these communities who carry the legacy are least brought into limelight.

It is indeed a great revelation for us to know the livelihood of the locals.

Back to the Shop

When an elderly man was wrapping up the wall hangings we bought using cloth, I looked with reverence at the young man for the enthusiasm he had shown while presenting more than hundreds of pieces of patch worked wall hangings and bedsheets.

Packed intact in cloth bits

I couldn't recollect a moment where he was exhausted. I went out to look for the name of the shop to mention in my blog. I couldn't find one.

Again I went inside to ask him.

"Can you tell me the name of your shop?"

My friend intervened to introduce me "She is a blogger and she writes about her travel experiences"

With a sheer lift of hope, the young man held out his card and asked us a genuine question "Ji how can I improve this business?"

He continued to say how a restaurant named "Jaisal Italy" which had started recently opposite to his shop, had been attracting more travelers after the lonely planet recommendation.

While I was suggesting him to start an insta account for better reach, I was surprised to see in his card that he already had an insta account "the_village_art_palace"

Again when we were suggesting him selling online, he mentioned two main constraints; First one being the shipping costs of the Bedsheets would be far more than the wall hangings' cost, because of it's heavy weight. And second one being the replication of same pieces​ shown online would be tough as these were made from old cloth bits.

We three nodded bearing in mind how he had analysed the setbacks of selling online.

Continued "Ji This business will be good during peak season(Nov to Mar), where travellers flock here for festivals. But during off season, I will be busy collecting raw materials from different villages and assigning patch works to be done for the next season."

It was great to know how a bunch of old cloth bits are converted to interesting wall hangings. 

The Village Art Palace

You can find Pakistani Jhari work, Afghani work too in this shop. Perks of being near the border you see! His shop has even got 30 years old patch works. And he is also a supplier for Fab India.

I strongly recommend this shop for anyone looking for authentic pieces.

The story of this man impressed me enough to write it in my blog. Anyone having a better Business Model for helping him sell online? 

You can either drop a comment or directly contact him too. Here's the photo of his card.

Have you ever met anyone interesting during your travels that you wanted to help them out in any way possible or who have impressed you enough to write about them in your blog?

Disclaimer - This write-up is truly from my own experience and not in collaboration with the shop.

A Journey to the Lesser known India, Madhya Pradesh

Heyya! Heritage Lovers!

It's time to add one more state for the love of Heritage!

Come on! Buckle up!

Let me take you on a virtual journey to Land of Heritage, Madhya Pradesh.

When I was planning my trip to Madhyapradesh, I remembered people asking "What is there in MP?"

Sorry guys! Madhya Pradesh is no ordinary place!

It holds many surprises; be it the amazing landscapes or the preserved heritages or the stunning national parks. This state has got everything you can ask for.

For those of you who had asked, here's the post for you to experience MP through my eyes. 

Bhopal

Popularly known as the city of lakes, the capital of Madhyapradesh has more to offer than just lake. You can find many interesting touristy places in and around Bhopal itself(Well within 20 kms). 

Manuabhan Tekri
Our first stop of the trip was Manuabhan Tekri, just 9 kms from Bhopal. To reach this Jain temple atop a hill, you need to take a cable car ride.

Interesting isn't it? Being the highest point of Bhopal, this temple offers a vantage point for the picturesque view of Bhopal city below.

National Musuem of Mankind

It's a cultural oasis at a twenty minutes drive from Bhopal. The indoor and outdoor galleries carry exhibitions based on art, culture and history.

I am sure if you are a kind who loves Musuem (Just like me), you would have an interesting time learning about the different cultures depicted in the musuem. 

Tribal Museum

Though Tribal Museum is a part of Manav Sangrahalaya(National Museum of Mankind), this requires a special mention as it carries information not only about Madhyapradesh but also about various other tribes of India giving a glimpse of their livelihood. (Look out for a detailed post on this Manav Sangrahalaya in my blog soon)

Van Vihar
A national park situated adjacent to the upper lake gives you some unparalleled view of the lake.

Rent a cycle and go on a memorable ride on the roads of Van Vihar sighting animals kept on a natural habitat.

Lake of Bhopal

From Ferry rides to water sports, this place has got much to offer.

Spend your time watching the sun go down in the lake sipping a hot chai(Tea). Take a walk in the Bridge for a better perspective of sunset. 

Khajuraho

Absolutely this UNESCO World Heritage site doesn't need an introduction. 

These wonderfully preserved group of temple complexes are a celebration of craftsmanship of bygone eras. 

These temples built by Chandel rulers to commemorate the pinnacles achieved by Chandel dynasty in wars is an embodiment of glorious era.

Head on over here for treating yourself with this historical wonder which stands the test of time. (Also Read about my solo venture to Khajuraho)

Pachmarhi

When the temperature in Bhopal hit 45 degrees, the not-so-heard-of hill station(Atleast for south indians), Pachmarhi came to our rescue.

From it's spine chilling waterfalls to numerous caves, Pachmarhi has got so many hidden gems. Two days are too less a time to experience Pachmarhi completely.

Can u spot me here?

Want to know what all we did in Pachmarhi in the measly two days? Read here.

I could only see MP in bits and pieces, so few more visits to Madhya pradesh is mandate for a complete experience.

All this and more at the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh. I can't wait to embark on my next journey to MP. 

What are you waiting for? Book your flights to Madhyapradesh this winter! 

Pro Tips 

Best time to get around is during winters. Though I traveled during peak summer, I was drained of energy every time I was out. 

Most of the sign boards are in Hindi. So atleast learn Hindi letters before going. Or reach out to friendly locals for help.

Don't forget to savour appealing cuisine of Madhya Pradesh. (Tada! Need to plan a food trip to MP pretty soon)

A hill station in the heart of India, Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi, a hill station which many south indians may have never heard of, was a pure surprise to us during this MP trip.

When temperature in MP went as high as 45 degree, we took solace at the only hill station in MP.

We boarded our train in Bhopal to head to Pipariya from where we hired a Jeep to Queen of Satpura, Pachmarhi.

While driving from Pipariya to Pachmarhi, the climate was so awesome that made us instantly fall in love with this hillstation. 

Our time in Pachmarhi was one awesome experience. We did from Hiking to Waterfalls hopping to Cave hunting in Pachmarhi. 

Here's a glimpse on what all you can do too.

Walk down the steps and then through a jungle to treat yourself with various view points.

Wow! The valley below

And further trek to the Apsara Vihar or Silver falls.

Spend your time learning swimming in the pool formed by the Silver falls or Jump in Joy into the spine chilling pool of water.

Apsara Vihar

Climb up the well laid steps of Pandav caves to take in the pleasure of aerial view of the valley and well maintained garden.

The legend has that these carved caves are of 1000 years ago, which had been the residence of Pandavas during their exile.

Aerial view from Pandav caves

Take the steps down to a cave where a naturally formed Stalgamite Linga(Calcium deposit spurned in the form of Linga) is worshipped.

Another Interesting part of the cave is that it get submerged during heavy monsoons.

Janta Shankar Cave

Shower your soul wet in the highest waterfall of Madhya Pradesh. Here's MP presenting to you Bee Fall. Water in the falls is terribly cold even in extreme summer.

Explore a secluded cave on your own. When you start trekking down the cave, you will be treated with some excellent flora and fauna.  Go after closing time for treating yourself to a creepy cave. 

Grand Canyon of India!

Such interesting view point? Loved this frame with half moon night scene from the view point.

Bored of High rise temples?? Temples inside the caves of Pachmarhi will give you a different perspective.

Cross the narrow passage of the cave (Just enough to walk sideways for one person at a time) to offer prayers to Gupt Mahadev (The Hidden Lord Shiva).

Hidden Lord Shiva inside a cave

Go on a Creepy walk along the Begum Palace. The then palace, now a ruin. Such is life.

Palace? Ruin?

Treat yourself to the impressive view of 300 feet gorge accompanied by the sounds of gushing water below.

Handi Khoh

From waterfalls hopping to caves hunting, the time we spent in Pachmarhi was so surreal.

The Queen of satpura was indeed splendid.

This hill station is definitely on my upcoming monsoon travels. I want to see this hill station adorning the freshly painted green after rain flicks it's magic wand on this paradise.

Tips -

Best way to get around in Pachmarhi is by using a shared Gypsy

Every hotel has a package for hiring Gypsy. (Don't forget to negotiate the gypsy price)

Carry warm clothes as it gets colder by night.