Thoughts from a Train 

As I write this post, the train in which I am traveling bends willfully against the mountain curve, at times pushing my back against the side wall, and at times pulling me towards an opposing centripetal force. 

My family and I are fortunate to visit Switzerland this late spring. We ride the Glacier Express, an eight hour long train journey from the charming hilltop town of Zermatt, through the valleys of the Swiss alps, across the famous Landwasser Viaduct bridge, and back upward to the ski town of St. Moritz. 

An army of pine cone trees stands before me, dutifully guarding the mountains. Crystal blue streams chase alongside us, their bodies fed with cascading waterfalls. Wildflowers – vibrant red poppies and sunny yellow daisies – wave happily under a cobalt blue sky. In the village I see an onion-domed monastry, its white-washed walls a contrast to the wooden, pointed homes of its constituents. Cows loaf lazily in the fields, and sheep graze on steep hills. Kayakers paddle along, bicyclists climb uphill, and hikers tred deliberately, walking canes in hand. 

Words, of course, cannot fully capture the beauty of Switzerland. Pictures, too, fail to fully demonstrate what the eyes so easily appreciate.

Everything in Switzerland feels cleaner and more organized. Buses are not littered and trams run on time. How refreshing, too, to hear passing-by pedestrians speaking a variety of languages (I recognized German, French and Italian).

Perhaps my favorite city in Switzerland was not the ever-popular Interlaken (although the shopping there was a treat!) but instead the smaller, lesser-known town of Lucerne. Set against its namesake lake, Lucerne also boasts a bridge built in the 14th century. I loved drinking in the lake’s cool blue waters, and I hope to return one day, with more days to spare.

Surprisingly, although we had been warned the food was not as delicious as in other countries, we enjoyed a lovely sampling of Swiss cheese and chocolate. We also discovered some authentic chicken curry in Interlaken, which hosts many South Asians yearly, in part to the town’s connection with Indian cinema.

All in all, I’m ever grateful to my parents for this family trip. I always say Paris is the prettiest city I’ve ever been to, and I can now say Switzerland is the prettiest country I’ve ever been to. Each new train ride transported us into an idyllic, postcard-perfect town, where the lakes sit calmly against majestic mountain peaks.

With all my love-

izh