Road trip in France with a camper!!

We had a chance to try Camper Van for the first time in summer 2020 due to various Corona restrictions and explore different parts of France. In the beginning we were very skeptical about it but in the end it turned out to be one of the greatest road trip experiences of my life time. We tried it out only for five nights as we did for the first time but certainly it impressed me to take longer for the next time. The flexibility to take breaks whenever you wish, the home made food at any point of time, quality family time in the midst of nature are certainly the great benefits of Camper van.

We started our trip from Basel in the evening and reached Beaune in the midnight. The camping facilities for recharging the batteries, loading water, unloading sewage water, taking bath were simply outstanding in France. Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in eastern France. It is located between Lyon and Dijon. It is an ancient and historic town on a plain by the hills of the Côte d'Or, with features remaining from the pre-Roman and Roman eras, through the medieval and renaissance periods. 

From Beaune we moved to Chartres which has a world famous cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1193 and 1250, this Gothic cathedral is in an exceptional state of preservation. Much of the old town, including the library associated with the School of Chartres, was destroyed by bombs in 1944. The weather was fantastic in both Beaune and Chartres. Anita did quite a lot of preparations to preserve the meat in the mini refrigerator and we had lovely food throughout the travel by choosing the best possible natural places to dine with. 

From Chartres we moved to Normandy famous for its lovely beaches. We stayed for two nights in Le Point du Jour, great camping location near the seashore. We had a chance to visit Mont Saint Michel – the tidal island in Normandy. Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. It’s a huge lengthy walk from the parking to this cathedral, the bridge connecting the main land and the island. The connection between the Mont-Saint-Michel and the mainland has changed over the centuries. The new bridge was completely submerged on March 2015 by the highest sea level for a once in 18 years occurrence. 

While returning back, we passed via Paris. I was asking Anita whether we will visit Eiffel tower which was never in our plan. We took an immediate decision and we parked the camper just near the Eiffel, went to the top with in few minutes and enjoyed the panoramic view from the top. In a normal day, I am sure it would have taken several hours to find a parking and lot of standing times in the queue to reach the top of Eiffel. Due to pandemic situation, there were hardly any tourists from outside Europe in Paris. 

I would strongly recommend to try Camper Van for all nature enthusiasts, spend more quality time with the family, who wants homemade food even during travelling. Many Europeans try camping in Scandinavian countries eg Norway especially in Summer and it has been quite popular during the pandemic times. The road trip which will reside in my memory for very long time. 

Au revoir/Bye Bye!

Sathish Kumar S

Matterhorn, Zermatt

During the Christmas holidays, we had a chance to visit Matterhorn, Zermatt with my friend Naresh and his family. Matterhorn is always the symbolic icon of Switzerland, around 4,478m above the sea level. Matterhorn is not the highest peak of Switzerland, Monte Rosa is the highest peak in Switzerland (4,634 m). Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland, quite famous for mountaineering and ski resorts. To prevent air pollution that could obscure the town’s view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a combustion-engine car free zone.

We travelled by car till Taesch, parked our cars there and then took a Train from Taesch to Zermatt. One has to take Electric car to take the cable car. From Zermatt, there are two options: One mountain train to Gornegrat and other one cable car to Mini Matterhorn. In 2007, I experienced already the mountain train to Gornegrat with my American friend Andreas. This time we took the cable car from Zermatt to Mini Matterhorn with three intermediate stations (Furi, Schwarzsee, Trockener Steg). The stretch from Trockener Steg to Mini Matterhorn was simply breathtaking and certainly one of the life time experience, the cable car spanning the two huge mountains across the deep gorge was indeed a Mechanical Engineering marvel. 

Anish was literally freezing in the top of Mini Matterhorn and luckily there was a restaurant at the top which gave us a good relief. Schwarzee station gives a good panaromic view of the mighty Matterhorn and a good place for the non skiers to take some nice photographs. From Basel, there are two different routes to Zermatt. One via Bern, Montreux which is lengthy but with the highways and no breaks. Other via Thun with Ferry, Car in the train with longer breaks. In the end, both the routes consume the same amount of time and in Summer it will be great to take the Thun route. The weather stayed fantastic and it’s always a pleasant sight when the sun shines in the midst of the snow. It was certainly a life time trip with my family and Naresh family and it will remember in our memory forever.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Paragliding in Brunni

Paragliding, Sky diving, Bungee jumping: The three different sports activities which I always wanted to try before I die. Recently had a chance to try Paragliding in Brunni region along with my friend Prabu who gave great motivation to try this. Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'speed bag' suspended below a fabric wing. Wing shape is maintained by the suspension lines, the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing, and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside. 

Despite not using an engine, paraglider flights can last many hours and cover many hundreds of kilometres, though flights of one to two hours and covering some tens of kilometres are more the norm. By skillful exploitation of sources of lift, the pilot may gain height, often climbing to altitudes of a few thousand metres. My pilot was very flexible and he removed all the fear from me and he took exceptional photos from the top. The weather was fantastic and we got a great panaromic view of the Alps. Certainly an experience to remember throughout my life.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Apple Picking - Grenzach Whylen

In autumn 2020, we had a chance to perform Apple and Peach picking at Obsthof Drechsle near Grenzach-Whylen, Germany. It was a great experience to pluck the Apples and Peaches directly from the trees, put it in the cart and later purchase them. We had this similar experience of Apple picking in New Jersey when Anish was 2.5 years old. After you visit these gardens, there will be apple juice in the table everyday which gets really monotonous at times ;) Perfect spot to spend a sunny weekend.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Morschach & Stoos - Schwyz

My good friend Prabu visited me from Lueneburg in Summer 2020 and we had a chance to explore some scenic locations nearby. We had a chance to visit Morschach and Stoos an alpine village located in Canton Schywz in Central Switzerland, about 45 mins from Zürich or Luzern. To reach the village, you ride the steepest funicular train in the world. While going up we took the cable car from Morschach to Stoos and while coming down we took the steepest funicular bahn from Stoos to Schwyz. 

The Fronalpstock at the top of Stoos is a breathtaking view which gives the panaromic view of the lake of Lucerne. We visited this same place in Winter and it’s a totally a different landscape and different world altogether. The restaurants at the top of these mountains are simply amazing and it’s always a great feeling to dine when the nature speaks nearby. The weather was fantastic and it’s always nice to catch up with a friend after a long period of time. Thanks Prabu for the great company and the lovely conversations during the trip. 

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Oeschinensee - Kandersteg

We had a chance to visit Oeschinensee on Swiss National Day – August 1st 2020. It is a lake in Bernese Oberland, 4km east of Kandersteg in the Oeschinen valley. The lake is fed through a series of mountain creeks and drains underground. We had a chance to do row boating in this beautiful lake and it was steaming hot around 37 C – the hottest day of the year. A gondola lift from Kandersteg leads to Oeschinen and 25 minutes’ walk leads you to the lake. The lake is also part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World heritage site. The lake is generally frozen during five months from December to May. From time to time ice skating is possible on the ice. 

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Tierpark in Arth-Goldau

Arth is a village, a town, and a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The municipality consists of the villages Arth, Oberarth, and Goldau. In summer 2020, I had a chance to visit Tier Park in Arth-Goldau with my son. This tierpark is situated in the convergence of two mountains in a scenic breathtaking view of the Alps and in the area which was devastated by the Goldau landslide of 1806. The drive to this tier park was simply fascinating, the weather was fantastic and Anish thoroughly enjoyed the day to the fullest by feeding the animals. Even though we visited many places in summer 2020, Anish favorite place is certainly this tierpark. 

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Kayaking in Yvonand Les Bains

We had a chance to visit a beautiful beach in Yvonand Les Bains, the French side of Switzerland. When the sun is shining on Lake Neuchatel and the waves are lapping softly, it is almost like being at the seaside. My good friend Suresh and his family also accompanied us to this trip and we had a great time Kayaking together in the lake Neuchatel. Anish loved Kayaking with his mom and he already did Kayaking with his friend Aman previously couple of weeks back. The weather stayed decent enough and we played all sorts of games with the ball in the water. A day to remember!

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Wine Tasting & Knight's Castle - Farnsburg

 In summer 2020, I had a chance to attend World Citizen’s event: Wine tasting & Knight’s Castle, one of the very well organized event which I attended. We went to a vineyard near Farnsburg around 30 kms from Basel, where we tasted different wine from different countries with some lovely Cheese and there was a museum which had wines dating back to centuries. We also did trekking to the top of Farnsburg castle in the municipality of Ormalingen in the canton of Basel Land. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Thanks to World Citizen, Stephan and Alejandro for making lovely Candid pictures during the trip. A day to remember!

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Bern - Heart of Switzerland

Bern, the capital city of Switzerland is definitely a great place to live and visit. We have two great family friends: Naresh, Srija and Ujjwala, Prasad in Bern. Whenever you want to visit any touristic place in Switzerland, you always have to touch Bern and it’s certainly in the heart of Switzerland. The historic old town in the centre of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage site. The river Aare pierces through the city, the crystal clear pristine water when the sun shines is a treat to the eyes. Prasad and Ujjwala took us to the near by peaks with little bit of trekking which gives a great panoramic breathtaking view. Anish and Aman enjoy their company to the core whenever they meet together. Berner zoo is definitely a must see one for the kids. I always enjoy this charming city whenever I visit it and a great positive vibe around it. 

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Bergsee, Bad Saeckingen

During the fall 2020, we had a chance to explore Bergsee a beautiful small lake in Bad Saeckingen. We visited this lake also in summer and did boating in this picturesque lake but it was totally a different landscape in Autumn with colorful leaves and their reflection in the water. Tatjana and Mathias being locals guided us with a short trekking in the forest, there is a small zoo where one can feed the animals, Anish totally enjoyed it. There is a Kletterwald also near by this lake and with all surprises Anish performed it for the first time and finished the first level. It was a beautiful weather and the pictures came almost for a photo frame. Thanks Tatjana and Mathias for organizing this short picnic and it will stay in our memory forever.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Snow... Sledge... Skating !!

 Snow in Black Forest area and Basel has been difficult to spot out in the last years because of global warming. I still remember I planned for a week vacation to learn Skiing and there was no snow and I went to Hamburg. Fortunately it was snowing few weeks before Christmas and it was indeed a pleasant sight to watch from the window especially the first Snow. We had a chance to visit Tatjana and Mathias at their home in Rickenbach and it’s around 800 m above the sea level. There was heavy snow, we tried Sledge with the kids and of course the great snow fights. 

Another time, we tried the Ice skating near our home with the Skating shoes and I must say it was certainly very difficult if one hasn’t tried in younger age. It’s certainly in my dream that one day I wanted to learn Skiing, Ice Skating at a mediocre level to enjoy the winter time. Let’s not forget I am a tropical guy having brought up near the beaches and not the mountains ;)

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Colmar, France

Recently we had a chance to explore Colmar, a town in the north eastern France near the border with Germany. Its old town has cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings. The city is on the Alsace Wine Route and local vineyards specialize in Riesling and Gewuerztrainer wines. We had a chance to do boating with scenic architectural buildings across the banks and the weather stayed great throughout the day. Once again Aman and Anish had a great time together in this short picnic. Heard Colmar’s Christmas Market is one of the best in Europe to be visited during Christmas times. Unfortunately, everything got cancelled in 2020 due to Corona pandemic and hoping for a better future in 2021. 

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Halloween 2020

We never had a chance to celebrate Halloween before in western world. This year we had a chance to celebrate Halloween in our home with our good friends Tatjana and Mathias and their kids Emilea and Amaya. It was a great evening with the exercise of peeling the pumpkins, with ghost songs around and some cocktails ;) It has always been a great Halloween celebration in USA than in Europe and the kids love it a lot with visiting different houses and collecting the chocolates. A day to remember..

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Deepavali 2020

Due to pandemic situation in 2020, we couldn’t celebrate Deepavali in a larger group and we celebrated with our good friends – Aman, Ujjwala and Prasad in Bern. In the beginning we had no plans but in the end it turned out to be great celebrations with food, fireworks for the kids and a nice Indian attire after a long time. Anish and Aman from the same age group gel quite well and it makes easy for us to concentrate on our activities :P  We also had a chance to explore Gantrisch, the nearby mountain peak from their place and it was indeed a great trekking experience with the kids. Thanks Ujjwala and Prasad for the great hospitality and certainly a much needed get together during the depressive times.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Food festivals in Switzerland

Being a great foodie, I thoroughly cherish the food festivals in various cities in Switzerland. These festivals have always been a means of uniting communities through celebrations of harvests and giving thanks for a plentiful growing season. You get a chance to try food from different countries/continents: Asian –Thai, Chinese, Indian: African, Continental all at the same time. We went in different places in Switzerland – Basel, Rheinfelden, Lenzberg etc and it was a great outing during the summer.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S

Papiliorama, Bern

I had a chance to take Anish and his friend Naksha to a butterfly dome Papiliorama in Bern where over 1000 exotic butterflies fly freely around the visitors in a lush tropical garden. With their dazzling colours and various shapes and sizes, they offer an enchanting ballet. The other stages in the butterfly’s fascinating life cycle can also be discovered: the hatching of a butterfly from its pupa in the emerging chamber or the eggs and caterpillars in the terrariums. Both Anish and Naksha had a great time exploring this wonderful simulated place and it’s a great day spent.

Cheers,

Sathish Kumar S