Friday, May 19, 2006

Jungfrau !!


The literal meaning of the greman word is virgin. This name has been given to the highest peak in the mountain ranges of the great Alps.

Jungfrau is supposed to be one of the most expensive trips and people ere even after being something like 6 months haven’t gone. But given the time constraint for us, we were determined to make most out of it!!

So on next Sunday morning it was that we finally decided to invade Jungfrau. Got up at 5.30 am as we were advised to catch first train if we had to avoid most of the crowd……so we were ready at 6.30am on platform to catch the mountain cog-wheel train. It is another magnificent piece of engineering. It has got gears at the symmetry line across the length of the train at bottom and they give the train extra grip and required push while climbing up the steep slopes of Alps!!

While going, one needs to change trains at 2 points but as everywhere is this wonderland, its not a problem at all, as when you get down from the first train, connecting train is ready just at the next platform!! They halt at 2 points on the journey, where there are caves made out of the mountains and at the end of these caves, there are glass windows for tourists to see breath taking white snow covered peaks. This train is always full of enthusiastic people who go up to ski!! And ours was no exception. There were many of them with all the preparation and glowing ski equipments!! I was so tempted to have my first try but then first try right on the steep slopes of Alps and that too from the highest peak would have been too much (and later I came to know that it is not allowed also if u do not know how and if you don’t have the equipments)

We reached right at the top somewhere about 9.30am……there are about 4 places where tourists go. And here we decided to follow the special instructions for tourists. Starting with a completely snow covered peak (see the snaps for reference)……and I had not set more than 2 steps before both my feet were deep down in chilly snow till ankles!! Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! Had I not had these good boots on, it wouldn’t have taken more than 10 seconds for my feet to freeze!! (and this is not even a bit of exaggeration……we took up snow in hands just for the purpose of snaps and by the time other person had finished clicking, we were rubbing our hands vehemently to get the blood flowing again!!)….boy….wasn’t it some funnnnnnnn……..people who have visited there in winter or just on the verge of winter finishing, will agree to my statements.

After clicking like a mad person there, our next visit was to “Ice Palace”. Here there are various sculptures carved out of ice……some like bears and various other animals and come characters like Mickey and mini mouse. The specialty of this cave cum palace is that its walls as well as its floor and ceiling are of ice!!....nice little walk I must say……but…….may god save u if you are not wearing boots with good grip…..wouldn’t take much long for you to slip over it.

Next in line was of course what we had come here for!! Jungfrau (N)och!! The highest peak in Alps where tourists can go without any equipment!! (Actual Jungfrau is a different peak very close to this one and you can see it……people that are trained in mountaineering can climb it with the help of all necessary mountaineering equipments.)

You do feel like you are in heaven…….anywhere you see and its only the untouched white ice is to be seen and the sun shining above gives it a wonderful aura…….it does reflect the virgin beauty in spite of having so many visitors every day!! Its difficult for me to describe in words…..see pictures and you will understand why…..

I can still feel the pain of leaving that place…….really feels like heavenly beauty…….

Rest of that day was just another day in life of us mortals……meal at Bollywood restaurant (I am not joking, there is a restaurant named bollywood restaurant at the highest peak in Europe!!) and quiet travel back home.

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