Alps-Jungfrau

Those of us familiar with the idea of "Himalayas" as the abode of "Shiva" would be pleasantly surprised when you reach "Top of Europe" Jungfrau. The head of a young woman, etched by nature on permanent snow at a height of nearly 4000 meters, bears a striking resemblance to Lord Shiva, with his tresses and the third eye.

The Jungfrau (maiden/virgin in German) is the highest peak located in the Bernese Oberland region of Swiss Alps. Accessible by train, hotels/restaurants, an Ice Palace,an Observatory are some of the attractions at Jungfrau.

For high resolution pictures of Jungfrau region visit http://www.wildscapes.net


Here is a slideshow of impressions from our visit

Alps-Schilthorn

Most of us have seen Schilthorn -in the Bond movie "On her majesty's secret service". Here is what it feels like to be there in real.

Schilthorn is a 2970 meter high summit in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. The panoramic views from this summit, of the Jungfrau, Thun, Black forest and Mont Blanc(in clear weather) makes this mountain a photographer's delight.
Some of our best photographs are there at the site wildscapes.net. Have a look at

http://www.wildscapes.net/ImageList.aspx?t=k&id=43

Here is the slideshow of my digital impressions about the place.

Glacier inside Alps

Trummelbach is the place in Switzerland where you can watch a waterfall inside a mountain!

20 km from Interlaken, Switzerland, is 'Trummelbach' where you can watch the glacier waterfalls finding their way through the mountains before jumping out of the mountain heights as a waterfall.

The Swiss have built a tunnel lift inside the mountain which carries you to the top where the glacier melts of Eiger, Monk and Jungfrau enter the mountain crevices. The well illuminated stairways with landings constructed at vantage points, enable the tourist to watch the path of the waterfall inside the mountain. The roar of 20,000 litres of water per second carrying boulder debris takes one close to raw nature.

Watch the slideshow.


Here are some video clips of the glacier waterfall

Ballenberg, Switzerland

Rural Switzerland, recreated for tourists in Ballenberg, is a must visit for all Indians. It helps us appreciate our own rural crafts and artifacts even more!

At Ballenberg, in Switzerland, about 100 rural houses have been erected as architectural and socio-historical witnesses of everyday life and rural culture of past times. Ballenberg is a living village with farmhouse gardens, meadows and 250 odd farm animals.

See the slideshow here

Interlaken, Switzerland

Interlaken (meaning between lakes) is a popular tourist destination in Switzerland. The town lies in the foothills of the Alps flanked by the lakes of Thun and Brienz.

Making Interlaken as the base, one can visit many places nearby. But Interlaken itself has a lot to offer-as the following slideshow shows.

Shashi could photograph some breathtaking views of the Alps at Jungfrau and Schilthorn. Some of these can be viewed at

http://www.wildscapes.net/ImageList.aspx?t=c&id=25

Here are a few slides taken at interlaken ( Adults only! please)

Beatenberg, Switzerland

Switzerland is a beautiful country with beautiful people.

To absorb the beauty of the Swiss countryside, a trek through Beatenberg is ideal. This countryside on the banks of Thun lake, is charming and offers various adventure sports as well.

If you are a wildlife enthusiast, the higher reaches of Beatenberg is home to the rare ibex.

A few freezes from my experience of Beatenberg are given below.

Duomo, Milan, Italy

Duomo is the main cathedral in Milan, Italy. This cathedral was five centuries in the making, built from the late 14th well into the 19th century. There is a very evident mixture of style in the architecure and facade.

A slide show of this masterpiece cathedral in Milan which is known the world over.

Culture Museum at Milano, Italy

Michaelangelo's last and unfinished work can be found in this museum. A museum showcasing the works of many unknown sculptors as well, the Milano museum unfolds the history of art through many centuries.

Sforzesco Castle which served as ducal residence and army barrack during the 15th century is now tranformed into a museum centre.

There is no ban on photography inside the museum and guides provide you with detailed pamphlets ( photocopies) of each exhibit. The photocopies are thanks to an initiative by the rotary Club of Milano.

Here is a slideshow of some of the pieces which I found interesting.

Green Austria!

Many of the historical cities of the world would not be as attractive and captivating but for the green areas and the flora of the country, which is maintained and preserved with great care.

While in Austria, my camera took special note of the beautiful green areas. Here is a slideshow of what captivated me.

There are a number of excellent hiking trails that run through the Schonbrunn palace grounds. Another green area is the Stadtpark.

The vegetation in Stadtpark is thick and lush throughout the year. This natural setting in the centre of Vienna Austria provides a glimpse of what Vienna was like prior to development.