Europe trip 3

I had stopped writing about my Europe trip when in US so thought of sending the next part today( hopefully the last. Did I hear a sigh of relief?)

After Jungfraujoch we went to a place called Interlaken. Got down at the place where a scene of DDLJ was shot.I told you in my earlier mail that I had given PV's jacket to a lady, she returned the coat there& we said you can use it till we reach hotel. So she took it back( I thought so).While having dinner her daughter told that will return the coat now, then she(her mom) said she kept it in our seat in the bus!! Ours was 3rd row seat that day, but we never saw one while we got into it( forgot to add, in this tour we had to always move 1 seat ahead daily so that those in the back are not stuck to the back seat). I thought of going to find it in the coach but Ashwin said the bus had already gone to the parking place. He assured that if it was kept in the coach we will get it back. I was so worried( it was a new one bought for this tour) so also Vijaya laxmi to whom we had given it.Prayed to Mukkuttil Bhagavathi & was relieved to get it back the next day.They had kept it in 2nd row of seats.

 On 26th May we went to Mt Titlis. We took a cable car which can seat 6 people & then got into a revolving cable car which can accommodate 80 . We have to stand in that. We had lunch there. There was a studio where we can get dressed in local costume & take photos. We were waiting in front of that & heard someone speaking Malayalam!!! There was a group from Kerala in some other tour called Soman's tour I think. We started talking to them & was surprised that a lady was from TPA related to my teacher Malathy madam !!( sorry it is stale news for most) Another one was in Delhi for many years & they know chettan's friend Mathew & Annie!!! Small world indeed. We kept bumping into them in some shops, road etc.We went to Lucerne to see the Lion Monument. It is built in memory of Swiss soldiers killed in French revolution. The expression of Lion is very sad. Went on a boat ride in the lake there. did some shopping (again some magnets & small items, other things were expensive).After that went to see the old town. It had paintings on the facade of all buildings. Spotted a Bata shop there.

Next day as always started at 8 to Schaffhausen.. Went in a boat to the Rhein falls(Rhine falls).My 1st glimpse of a waterfall!!! We could go up some steps in between the falls but I chose to remain in the boat as the steps seemed steep & slippery. So the few who sat in the boat had one more trip in the river as they took us back to where we got into it.Then we entered Germany. It took about 3-4 hrs to reach the Black Forest area.Went to Titisee. there we visited the place Drubba famous for the cuckoo clock . Saw a demo there. Some bought the clocks, we satisfied ourselves with cuckoo clock model( yet another  magnet!!) Had our lunch at a place called Rangoli if I remember correct.  Forgot where we stayed that night, I mean the name. It was a cruise in Rhine river next day & then went to Cologne. Saw the  Gothic style Cathedral there which was white in colour but turned black now. Went shopping for Eau de cologne.

Next proceeded to Brussels. It was raining by the time we reached the famous statue called the Mannekin Pis statue. My camera stopped working as it got wet while clicking at the statue. Though it started working later( next day) the review button is still not ok so can't see or delete the photos taken.That place is famous for lace & I got a sample - a framed lace as I couldn't resist. There were embroidery( on napkins hankies etc) also so pretty , neat & expensive .

There was a statue of a man with a dog & it seems if you rub the hand of the man or nose of the dog you will get lucky, not to mention i did it. Stopped near the Atomium( Office buildings in the shape of an atom) to take pictures.

On 29th we went to Amsterdam. Our 1st stop was at Madurodam. It had the main features of the city in a miniature form at the scale of 1:25 Tulip season was over on 20th so we couldn't see it There I saw a lady taking photo so I stopped for her to take a photo. Didn't realize that she was taking mine. On our way out saw my photo & bought it Such an awful looking snap. Didn't know that we need not buy it.Went  to a cheese making factory & woodden shoe factory in Volendam.

On our way we saw the airport ( from our coach only)which had 5 km of parking for cars.It was full!! After lunch went on a boat cruise& went to our Hotel.

Next day went to Paris . It was a 4 hr drive with  comfort stops in between. Visited Chantilly. We had a local guide here. went up the Eiffel tower.Met a gentleman there from Chennai who works for Hindu paper!!

After dinner went for Lido show. We had to pay extra money for that & we had not opted to go for that. later we decided to go for it as we heard it is good & they have A.R.Rehman music at some point. It was at night 8.30 or so( forgot to note the time). I almost slept through the show.Everyone except a few, felt it was a waste of time, money& sleep. When we got out a man from some other group fell at the feet of their tour guide/manager on the footpath & said 'please don't take anyone for this show'.  that speaks volumes about the show . When ARR music was on they had women in   bharata natyam style dress & some men in Ganesh mask. Some one was mentioning that 1st time seeing  Ganesha with the 6 pack abs. we were discussing how the show was when someone diplomatically said the costumes were nice, some with sense of humour retorted " or no costumes". You see they had half naked women in the show.It was past midnight when we got back to the hotel.

So next day we started at 9 .30 or so as most had a late night.We went to see the Louvre museum. Since it takes a lot of time to see as many paintings as possible we just went straight to see Mona Lisa. Took photos of some paintings also. Then we had time to do a bit of shopping.Bought a small replica of Eiffel tower as memento. When we were boarding the bus some people were selling a pair- bigger version. PV wanted  that.  Had lunch at a place called Omkara.

Next day visited the Versailles Palace. We had a guide here too. He was eager to show us the hall where Laxmi Mittal's daughter got married.

We were to have a Seine river cruise but due to the water level going up that takes more time than the usual so we couldn't go. But all of us had enough of cruises by then so nobody missed it I think.. We went around the city in the coach, walked in Champs Elysees etc.

After dinner we went to see Eiffel tower lit up at 10.05. There we saw a lit up version(model of the tower) & he bought that one too. So now we have 4 Eiffel towers in different sizes.Don't know what to do with them, can't keep 4 in the house, can't gift it as those who haven't been there won't have any interest.Ideas welcome. May be can be used as bangle stand as i saw in one shop somewhere.

Enough for today I feel. England can be covered in my next part.