939 days without posting, anyway, this is a good opportunity, here I go...
Easter time was coming, and it meant 3 weeks on "holiday" (yeah, a pseudo one, pending assignment and readings), anyway a change of environment was required indeed, I didn't mind, at least few days, just to refresh my mind. Switzerland was a good choice, and in fact it was a great one. Neither a detailed plan nor a big budget, but the willing was enough to have a nice time.
Tuesday night after 10pm in D'Hav, good dinner with Smita and Manasi, masala and stuff. Amy was coming from London with Rakan, I was tired but I had a chat with Amy and Catherine instead, then at 5am the chinese taxi took us to Luton Airport. Quick flight to Zurich, not that cold, priority to get francs and the transport tickets, OK. First impression, nice trains, fortunately the central area was quite near, and what was even better, the hotel Bristol as well. Rakan preferred to rest in the room, so Amy started showing us the area, a McDonald's meal looking at the snow slightly coming down, getting freezing. Then, she bought a pink playboy zippo, and Khalid a "che Guevara" lighter, and cigarettes. Maria Magdalena Mauritius Museum close to us, then, please, a nap in the hotel. After 5pm we went to the shopping area, nice road with the best brands, patisseries, Louis Vuitton, etc, really nice atmosphere, at the end, the Zurichsee. On the way back, a beer and quiche in a coffee shop, perfect, some more photos, and snacks in 'coop', in the hotel, energy no remained for the night out, ~everybody slept till next day. Morning call at 6am, breakfast, and 7:30am train, our long journey was just starting, marvellous swiss landscapes. Zurich, Bern, Laussane, and Geneva, our first stop, spectacular lake, swans, and the alps behind, lebanese lunch, satisfied. Back to Laussane, lot of shops on the hill, a nice church (St-François), Starbucks coffee, walking around, a swiss t-shirt, Rakan's friend, time to go to Vevey and Montreux, where Amy studied before. Lovely city and lake Geneva's sight, thai dinner + playing cards + cheese fondue after, full. Train back to Zurich trough Laussane, arriving midnight, one bag left on the train (ipod & psp) but taken on time, OK... In hotel, chatting till 2am, and then got up at 11am! Time to leave the bags in the locker, coffee in the train station, and Lucerne waiting for us. Raining, lots of photos on the kapellbrucke (bridge) and lunch in a nice local restaurant (careful with the bell!). 4pm already, time to come back to Zurich, but before souvenirs in the station. Quickly took the bags from the hotel and train to the Airport. There, some chocolates in 'migros', finally the swiss knife (spartan lite), some drinks and cigarettes in the duty free for them, and flight 8:20pm, back to Luton Airport. Rakan and Amy on different ways, no buses to Hatfield for me and Khalid, what about a taxi, let's hire it then. Nice trip! Definitely I will come back.
Tuesday night after 10pm in D'Hav, good dinner with Smita and Manasi, masala and stuff. Amy was coming from London with Rakan, I was tired but I had a chat with Amy and Catherine instead, then at 5am the chinese taxi took us to Luton Airport. Quick flight to Zurich, not that cold, priority to get francs and the transport tickets, OK. First impression, nice trains, fortunately the central area was quite near, and what was even better, the hotel Bristol as well. Rakan preferred to rest in the room, so Amy started showing us the area, a McDonald's meal looking at the snow slightly coming down, getting freezing. Then, she bought a pink playboy zippo, and Khalid a "che Guevara" lighter, and cigarettes. Maria Magdalena Mauritius Museum close to us, then, please, a nap in the hotel. After 5pm we went to the shopping area, nice road with the best brands, patisseries, Louis Vuitton, etc, really nice atmosphere, at the end, the Zurichsee. On the way back, a beer and quiche in a coffee shop, perfect, some more photos, and snacks in 'coop', in the hotel, energy no remained for the night out, ~everybody slept till next day. Morning call at 6am, breakfast, and 7:30am train, our long journey was just starting, marvellous swiss landscapes. Zurich, Bern, Laussane, and Geneva, our first stop, spectacular lake, swans, and the alps behind, lebanese lunch, satisfied. Back to Laussane, lot of shops on the hill, a nice church (St-François), Starbucks coffee, walking around, a swiss t-shirt, Rakan's friend, time to go to Vevey and Montreux, where Amy studied before. Lovely city and lake Geneva's sight, thai dinner + playing cards + cheese fondue after, full. Train back to Zurich trough Laussane, arriving midnight, one bag left on the train (ipod & psp) but taken on time, OK... In hotel, chatting till 2am, and then got up at 11am! Time to leave the bags in the locker, coffee in the train station, and Lucerne waiting for us. Raining, lots of photos on the kapellbrucke (bridge) and lunch in a nice local restaurant (careful with the bell!). 4pm already, time to come back to Zurich, but before souvenirs in the station. Quickly took the bags from the hotel and train to the Airport. There, some chocolates in 'migros', finally the swiss knife (spartan lite), some drinks and cigarettes in the duty free for them, and flight 8:20pm, back to Luton Airport. Rakan and Amy on different ways, no buses to Hatfield for me and Khalid, what about a taxi, let's hire it then. Nice trip! Definitely I will come back.
