Vines, Heights & Grottos: The Natural Beauty Of Switzerland - Feature

The natural vision of Switzerland is hidden within the auspices of its perceptions. Between three distinctive regions, the options of possibilities exist. From the beauty of its Italian influenced Ticino region to the dizzing heights of the Western Alps to the subtle and smooth feeling of Zurich, this arena offers a different array of sights, tastes and community.With direct service from LAX and NY, the different stages of Swiss Airlines offers distinctiveness of comfort. After the relaxation of the Star Alliance Lounge in LAX's Tom Bradley Terminal, the flight is caught with utmost ease, retrieved just before takeoff. The key is timing as the fires of Los Angeles burn away to reveal the gentle twilight allowed by an overnight flight, 10 hours in length. With ample legroom, power outlets for necessary work, comfortable temperature and a three-course meal elegant of wine, the eyes closed only to reveal the day later.With the ease of a Swiss Pass allowing full transport through the country's rail system, the four-hour journey to Mariesco in the Ticino region unveiled winding views through massive valleys brimmed with the sight of the 15,000 foot Mt. Rosa which takes the breath away.The Ticino region lies in the South of Switzerland. Staying at the Hotel Serpiano (which is only 500 meters from the Italian border), the grandiosity is apparent overlooking Lake Lugano towards Mancote. Only a matter of miles away, Lake Como, which has become the getaway home of George Clooney, shows the connection of the beauty of the region for people of taste.Touring the small town of Meride, reminiscent of Tuscany, replete with the two churches of San Silvestro & San Rocco, a single candle is lit as the vision of Santa Lucia peers forth in essential silence as a woman speaks greetings from a window above.A short ride away, Agriloro, the winery of Meinrad Perler, sits in the breast of Monte Gereroso winding succinctly through a small wisp of heaven between Switzerland and Italy. Formerly a banker but now with several wine notices of brilliance under his belt, Perler winds his grapes between experiments of chemistry and quality interest. His gold prize winning 2007 Merlot Reserve is the pinnacle of taste with zest and a bite of blackberry while his Casmiro, despite a fraction of scitzophrenia, pulls off a motley blend with a range of sensibility.Lunch within the cool shadow of Meride at the Grotto Fosatti waifs with the compelling aroma of morels that wanders from the kitchen as the owner flirts with a visiting girl who inquires of his polenta. His wide smiling response: “But my risotto!”The serving of polenta, based of cornmeal with a bit of a twist, offers a hearty comparison to the pork surrounded by carrots and potatoes. When balanced in zest with a soft but nice Punto 902 Merlot and preceded by a light salad touched by Balsamico, it is bella. However it is the Verissimo, made in a mixture of Frangelico and whiskey, that hits with a heightened sweetness hidden in the wonder of an  expresso.In short order following, Bellinazona, resting in a nearby valley, was a strategic battle position of lore heightened by the rule of the Dukes Of Milan (“Tempest” anyone?) in the early 1400s. Castles reign in the tender geography but the cool winds prevail giving a sense of calm that besets the night.At Hotel Cereda, a quiet terrace offers a soothing afternoon moment of life as a light breeze shimmers, the light drifting through the lifting trees as La Rossa, a local Ticino beer, fades the sounds away.The vision of Castelgrande, occupying the first line of defense against the Milanese Dukes of the past, shows the cusp of how the generals might have perceived the battles. With similar tinges in the Moravian embattlement of parts of the Czech Republic again the Turks, the key here is the maintaining of longetivity and the implementation of strategic strikes. Advancing marauders along these long fortified walls would be suceptible to unprotected attacks further proving the advantageous wranglings of this structure.From the Castlegrande, the long leading grass terrain into the heart of town creates elation in its simplicity and daring. From its pinnacle view, three preparing castles ascend up the respondent hill.At Castle Montebello, the working drawbridge highlights the beauty of the overlooking grass as the resident beast, a friendly cat, marches in time under orders to the delight of all involved before bounding down the hill to welcome an unprepared guest.Dinner within Castle Castello, further up the mountain, offered the last of Ticino before the transition to the heights of the Alps.The restaurant Osteria Sasso Corbaro sits quietly within the coolness of the tower atrium of Castello. The paradoxical influence of its seafood with lobster claw fettucini dwelling within a light primavera sauce offered slight resistance in its overcooked mentality while the luscious haddock, flaky while not overcoming the wonder of Norwegian sole in Scandinavia, offered a content antecedent. The smoothness of Cornico Oro Merlot, infinitely drinkable in its peppers, encouraged the late evening within the global possibilities of those present from Johannesburg to Mumbai to Milano, one with all in laughter. As the sweetness of Collecta Costana, with its continuing influence of Vessimo & Expresso, ended the evening, talk of love for “The Big Lebowski” predicated tales of fun.Driving into the increasing elevation of the St. Gotthard Pass, the tree line fades away as the pinnacle leading to one glacier view makes the skyline like heaven. The immenseness of the rock against the human form makes one perceive life differently. Unlike the Rockies, these views stretch on to forever and suggest something primordial.As the road retreats in the distance, the vision of a lone girl against the backdrop indicates the sheer magnificance of the wonder.Approaching Sion, the scream of fighter jets zooming low over the wine headquarters of Espace Provins pre-supposes its variety. In tour mode, the simpleness of the 2008 Merlot overcomes the smooth citrus elements of 2007 Bougnesa White while the cool recollection of 2008 Ice ladles the consuming cheese wonder of small cakes. But exercise calls.Pfyn/Finges borders along the angle of the Valais Valley with gentle grasslands leading up to winding trails. Unbecoming of harsh angles for the novice, stories of myths in the forest laying on a bed of ferns becomes the whistling brushing of the trees. A knowing guide understands the need to enjoy even as the sturdy bridge becomes with dancing.The natural essence of the area allows for combination of the mineral elements in interesting ways as pure mineral water from the Valais is combined in chemistry with a local absinthe, replete in its bottle, creating a milky elixir consumed by all in numbers.As the rain begins to fall, a bottle of Ticino Casmiro (from Agriloro) is shared  as the many nationalities with a sense of comraderie find commonality in their stories of life, tenderness, fun and, best of all: chocolate.In the quiet town of Fiesch in the region of Goms, an early morning walk brings the eye to the base of a beheamouth. Bordering a tram, the vision continues as the cable car transport makes its way almost directly up 9000 feet at the top of theEggishorn. As a small wire bridge danges over a 600 foot drop, the swinging becomes contingent.As the wind blows, the view over the Aletsch Glacier is intense. This unadulterated view of the Western Alps is inconceivable at times in its mass. Looking down 1000 feet below to the floor of the glacier leading down from a peak nearly 14000 feet, the ice is cracked with rivules that can extend almost 200 feet below the surface. The extreme depth of the glacial ice reaching down nearly 2000 feet is one of the deepest in the world.As a guide leads a group up to the angle of the panorama, one thinks of the journey to Mordor with Frodo in “Lord Of The Rings” as the small figures wind around straggly rocks and straight drops-offs into gulfs of nothingness. The true insignifance of man becomes quite clear.As the clouds roll through, a fighter jet on maneuvers screams through the glacier floor with afterburners flaring into a vertical cut of the cloudy darkness as pelts of ice rain down. The balance of technology and nature bending in the wind impedes a sense of foreboding while, in the distance, the godliness of the Matterhorn watches aloft in her majesty.Lunch at the cusp of this vision begates a need for stamina and heartiness. At the Horli Hitta Alpine Hut, "rosti", combining a bed of hash browns, crispy and flavorful, is blanketed in creamy yorta cheese with thick but curt slices of bacon and topped with fried eggs; a just meal for the hearty traveler.Only one thing elevated above the soaring awe with the clamor of wistful horns trumpeting the sound of tradition: chocolate. The quest began.Later, as the gurgling brook entices the small village of Binn with the light richness of Swiss cheese, the city center crackles with life.In quiet succession, the chocolate grail of Nutella appears through the small oasis of Migros lighting up the hearts of women gathered from across the world. As the calfs moo and the tinkling of their neck bells resound, the calmness of life in the Binntal consumes the valley.Early morning brings a sense of simple contentment. At the Hotel Fieschhof, the pure natural air consumes the cusp of dawn as church bells sound in the distance with a crisp echo that imagines a silence with the edge of heaven, away from the indulgence of the city.Leaving the lift of the country on the Swiss Express to Zurich, the fast rails offer richness as the smiles of those around us is aroused approaching the excitement of Switzerland's central city.The beauty of Lake Zurich leading into the city river flow is as clear as the water that feeds it. Aboard the ferry Uteliberg as ancient twin pillars from the 12th Century overlook the departure, the clouds break over the soothing stillness.As the white rush of rain covers the city of Zurich, the top of the Uteliberg billows with the roar of the wind, basking in the love of nature.Returning to the streets, the newfound clarity evenly succumbs the 1200 spring fed drinking fountains across the city allowing for a pure gulp of water as the sweet music from inside the Fraumunster Cathedral parallels the quiet passing of nuns.As the side streets allow escape within the city center, the solidity of the Swiss Banks juts above with the institutions of UBS and Credit Suisse. Nearby the clocks in evervescent perpuity tick time with a preciseness known all over the world.Listening to the bells chimes in the warmth of the Cafe Weggem, an expresso and a tart svatchka plum crumb cake comforts, a small getaway for those in the know as a drizzling brightness seeps in through the windows.Zurich also offers a veil of surrounding proponents diverse in their thought processes.At the Masaola Rainforest Preserve, part of the Zurich Zoo, a complete recreation of a Madagascar habitat down to the temperature and thousands of different plantlife species, animals roam wild acting in their preternatural state. A fruit bat flies overhead, its wingspan heavy with each passing glide. Gray haired lemurs screech in the back trees, arguing with each other over some fallen food. A giant male tortoise roars his dominance with full open viciousness as he climbs atop his female mate. And red leaf lemurs watch the human integers with veiled eyes before flying dozens of feet in the air to adjoining trees, locking their roots in the ever increasing soil.By visionary proactivity, the Swiss National Museum traces both the history and the thoughts of Switzerland. Like the US, this nation is built upon the motley proponents of immigrants (in this case from Germany to Italy to France) which constitute its specified thought process which is relegated over almost 800 years.Inside its walls, an early stained glass window, highlighting Mary entitled “Madonna of Flums”, dating from 1200 and commissioned by the Chapel of St. Jacob , bustles in the light with its hues of red blue and brown.Nearby the monastery tapestry of “The Walled Garden”, dated 1580, gives a whole new modern take of intent with refracted mirror light from video projectors that allow the actual stories depicting the birth, death and resurrection of Christ to take on an animated quality within the actual structures without physically hurting the artifact.In another tiny corner, the oldest existing panorama, depicting Zurich, to survive the Restoration, dated 1421, shows a vision of life not completely different than the vista portrait of today. The twin steeples above the city mirror the Fraumunster Cathedral leading across the bridge and out into Lake Zurich as the clouds rise above the blue, comforting in their consistency as citizens mill about their daily routines.As the "aplermagronen", a traditional Swiss meal combining macaroni and chicken croquette then topped with apple sauce, consumes with the smooth of a Feldschlossen, the Swiss experience in the heart of Zurich reaches full circle.From the sweeping green valleys of Ticino to the dizzying heights of the Eggishorn in the Binntal to the calm soothing waters of Lake Zurich, the natural tendencies of Switzerland speak in clear terms to the likes of a discerning international audience searching for the best in clear and green prerogatives while still enjoying the more grapelike and hearty inclinations of a traveling world.