The Bernina Express: The best rail journey in Switzerland

The Bernina Express travels over the Kreis Viaduct near Brusio -- An unusual outdoor spiral tunnel  (wikipedia)

SWITZERLAND, December 26, 2015 – Switzerland has five classic rail journeys and each is breathtaking in its own way. But if you have to pick only one, choose the Bernina Express.

It may not be Switzerland’s longest, or most famous, train ride, but it is arguably the best. 

Bernina Express operates year round  (wikipedia)

Not only does the route incorporate some of the most spectacular sections of the famed Glacier Express, it also features alpine lakes at the crest of the world,  dynamic glaciers and panoramic vistas of rolling countryside before reaching its final destination in Tirano, Italy.

Even National Geographic rates the Bernina Express as the second best rail journey in Europe.  The first, also in Switzerland, is The Chocolate Train. 

Bernina Express travelers begin from either Davos, St. Moritz or Chur.  Each village offers something different, so the starting point is really a matter of personal preference. 

Chur, with its delightful old town, is a gateway to the alpine ski resort of Arosa. 

At just over 5,000 feet, Davos has the distinction of being the highest city in Europe, and it is a haven for culture lovers as well as sports enthusiasts.

 

Jet-setting St. Moritz, with its series of three alpine lakes, has long been a favorite destination for the internationally rich and famous. 

Panoramic windows heighten the experience of the Bernina Express  (wikipedia)

The four-hour, 38-mile rail journey follows a winding mountainous path over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels over the Bernina Pass which reaches its highest point at more than 7,300 feet.  Two railways, the Albula Line and the Bernina Line, combine to form the route.  A unification that led UNESCO to jointly declare them a World Heritage Site in 2008.

Completed in 1904, the Albula Line took six years to build.  The Bernina Line followed in 1910, but the railroads operated independently until 1940 when the Rhaetian Railway took over and merged the two.

Any time of year is good on the Bernina (swissrailways.com)

The brightly colored red coaches feature arches of glass that provide a 360-degree panoramic view of land, water and sky.  During summer, some trains even operate with a few open-air cars as well as the traditional enclosed rolling stock.

The combination Landwasser Viaduct/Tunnel is a highlight of both the Bernina and Glacier Express excursions.  From the viaduct, where five pillars tower more than 200 feet above the Landwasser River, the 446-foot curved track offers passengers a clear view of the train as it enters or departs the tunnel. 

The 706-foot tunnel completes the architectural masterpiece by boring through seemingly insurpassable rock before opening upon the dramatic gorge and bridge across the river.

Shortly after the viaduct, the train reaches Filisur before continuing through the first of several spiral tunnels.  The rails sing as the cherry-colored line of coaches moves through a lush valley en route to a change in elevation of about 1,300-feet in just over 3-miles.

Spirals eliminate the need for rack-and-pinion infrastructure and passengers are the beneficiary.  The serpentine course twists and turns through towering woodlands past cascading waterfalls and rushing streams while climbing toward mountains of everlasting snow.

Crossing the Landwasser Viaduct is a highlight of the Bernina Express experience  (wikipedia)

Outside Pontresina the journey heads for the Bernina Pass where the tracks make a dramatic turn beside the  Morteratsch Glacier.  Lord Byron once described glaciers as “frozen hurricanes” and, at this place, it’s as though some omnipotent hand designed the terrain purely for rail visitors to observe all of it’s magnificent splendor. From here you can view the Piz Bernina, the highest summit in the Eastern Alps at nearly 7,000 feet. 

In English “piz” means “peak”, which comes from Romansch, the least used of Switzerland’s four languages.

Chur is one of three gateways  (wikipedia)

Before long, the Bernina Express discards its forested surroundings by yielding to a moonscape of stark, intolerant terrain.  Jagged, barren outcroppings of snow-clad rock hover over three glacial lakes, each distinguished by a different color.  Here, at the rooftop of Europe, the watershed divides the flow of rivers toward the North Sea and the Mediterranean.

Once over the Alps, the train descends into another vast carpet of green where rural tableaus nestle between protective mountains that lead toward Brusio and its spiral viaduct.  The uniqueness of this rarest of rail travel experiences lies in the fact that the track is completely exposed, allowing passengers to witness the logistical achievement of the design for themselves.  The train travels over, around and beneath its own pathway as the coiled ribbon of steel guides the express into Italy. 

At the top of the world, Bernina Express passes three lakes with different colors. This is the White Lake. (wikipedia)

Before terminating in Tirano, rail travelers and motorists discover several places along the route where it almost seems possible to reach out and shake hands with each other, and in a couple of tiny villages, the train has barely enough room to pass between buildings on either side of the road.

Just another day in paradise aboard the Bernina Express  (wikipedia)

At Tirano, the Bernina Express links with Swiss Postal Bus service which journeys along the Italian shores of Lake Como before arriving back in Switzerland at Lugano.  For Swiss Rail Pass holders, the only thing required is making a reservation and showing your pass.

While glaciers and palm trees may seem incongruous, the magic of the Swiss Travel System makes it possible.  All you have to do is “train” yourself.

The Bernina Express is proof positive that “one good turn deserves another.” 

This article first published in Communities Digital News 

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Discovering the small villages of France on the Web

A quaint quiet street in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain where much of the movie Chocolat was filmed  (wikipedia)

FRANCE, December 19, 2015 – Moviegoers who saw the 2000 film Chocolat may recall the tiny fictional village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes where the story takes place. In fact, two real French villages were used Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in and Beynac-et-Cazenac on the Dordogne River in Dordogne.

Both places are members of an organization called “The Most Beautiful Villages in France.”

Outskirts of Peyre, France (wikipedia)

Travelers will be thrilled to discover that there are more than 150 other “undiscovered” villages throughout France that are now part of an internet site called Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

This site traces its roots to 1981 when Charles Ceyrac, the mayor of Collonges-la-Rouge, found a book published by Reader’s Digest which had the same title as the current name of his organization, Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

Ceyrac had long been an advocate of promoting tourism to exceptional villages throughout France that were largely unknown, yet possessed a prominent cultural heritage. With inexhaustible energy and a keen desire to protect the heritage of these communities, Ceyrac passionately undertook the task of forming an association with rigid standards to create greater awareness for visitors.

Several categories for inclusion were established ranging from history to art, handicrafts, culinary excellence, romantic environment, wellness and nature.

Saint Cirq Lapopie nestles behind its ancient city walls  (wikipedia)

By March of 1982, an organization of 66 mayors had united with Ceyrac to establish a method of preserving the legacy of each town. Its purpose was “to avoid certain pitfalls such as villages turning into soulless museums or, on the contrary, ‘theme parks.’ Our well-reasoned and passionate ambition is to reconcile villages with the future and to restore life around the fountain or in the square shaded by hundred-year-old lime and plane trees.”

In an effort to regulate a high level of quality so that visitors would be guaranteed to enjoy the type of traveling experience they were seeking, Les Plus Beaux Villages de France follows a strict set of guidelines during its selection process.

Membership is granted only after a community has completed four phases of application.

Entrance to the village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain (wikipedia)

 Initially a village must meet three basic requirements: the population must not exceed 2,000 people, it must have at least two protected sites or monuments in the area, and it must show written proof that there is majority support from the town council.

Once approved, an on-site evaluation is conducted between a member of the association and the mayor of the village. Prior to the “tour” of the town, the mayor, and any associates he chooses, are interviewed and are requested to present required documents for evaluation along with any support materials.

The association then follows an appraisal chart consisting of 27 criteria that rate the village according to the various categories necessary to participate.

Half timbered houses of Le Bec Hellouin in Normandy  (wikipedia)

Phase three consists of a decision handed down by the Quality Committee which has complete authority in accepting or rejecting an application. The Quality Committee meets twice each year, and it has the option of making four rulings ranging from immediate recognition as a participating member to total rejection.

If approved, the final step is signing an official charter. Once granted, the village may then promote its new designation to inhabitants, local authorities and the media as being officially regarded as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

Beynac-et-Cazenac rises above the Dordogne River in France  (wikipedia)

Today there are more than 157 villages in 21 regions of the country.

“Discovering France” has never been easier or more enjoyable thanks to Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

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For winter fun in the sun, try the Turks & Caicos

Miles of white sand beach stretch along the shores of Grace Bay in the Turks & Caicos  (Taylor)

TURKS & CAICOS, December 12, 2015 – Christopher Columbus discovered the Turks & Caicos from the sea in 1492. Nearly 500 years later astronaut John Glenn rediscovered them from space, and they haven't been the same since. 

The main pool at the Sands at Grace Bay  (Taylor)

Six years later the airport opened in the capital city of Providenciales, or Provo as it is called by locals, and large scale international tourism was on the horizon.

Despite the influx of travelers however, the chain of 41 islands has been extremely sensitive to over-development, choosing instead to upgrade infrastructure while maintaining its pre-Glenn ambiance. It’s a recipe that has made them one of the most desirable destinations in the Caribbean.

So careful have the residents been about protecting their “pristine” image that the main road was paved less than ten years ago and only now is the airport in the process of upgrading to accommodate the increase of international travelers.

Water sports, especially snorkeling for conch, are favorite pastimes in the Turks & Caicos  (Taylor)

There are two sets of islands in the archipelago, of which roughly 25% are inhabited. The Turks derive their name from the indigenous Turk’s head cactus, while Caicos comes from the Lucayan term caya hica meaning “string of islands.” Before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 the Lucayan and the Taino Indians comprised the native population.

Rum punch and conch salad are staples  (Taylor)

The Turks make up the northern cluster of islands, while the Caicos are to the south. Most of the tourist activity these days centers around Grace Bay where luxury hotels offer all the amenities a visitor desires while retaining an atmosphere of seclusion and a respect for the environment.

Activities include kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, nature walks, parasailing, paddle-boarding and, of course, golf. Boasting the third largest coral reef in the world, combined with an abundance of conch, it’s little wonder that water activities are among the most popular.

Reef Peepers, one of several popular outfitters in the islands, offers a variety of excursions. Half-day snorkeling programs include snorkeling, gear, searching for conch, a visit to Half Moon Bay, lunch and drinks. You can also try TI Reef Adventure on Grand Turk for snorkeling sessions, adventures with stingrays, and deep sea fishing.

A rock iguana greets guests at his home on Iguana Island  (Taylor)

Half Moon Bay, also known as Iguana Island, is a favorite outing because it is the home of the rock iguana, the smallest creature of its type in the Caribbean.

As might be expected in an area so linked to the sea, there is a passion for shellfish, especially conch. It is virtually impossible to go anywhere and not find conch on a restaurant menu in one form or another. In fact, the Caicos Conch farm is the only commercial conch farm in the world.

Da Conch Shack is an island favorite  (Taylor)

Arguably the favorite hangout on Provo is Da Conch Shack, which harvests its own conch for its signature white meat delicacies of conch fritters, conch salad and scorched conch. You can even watch as they pull lunch or dinner directly from the water before preparing it within minutes. You would be hard pressed to find food fresher than that.

Jerk chicken is also a popular island dish. Smokey’s has the reputation for the best jerk chicken, plus you can play a round or two of miniature golf before or after your meal.

The Sands at Grace Bay is a metaphor for relaxation, comfort and luxury  (Taylor)

The islands feature a wide range of accommodations catering to any budget. The more upscale properties can be pricey, as with any resort, but they are not extravagant by luxury standards. The Sands at Grace Bay features multiple swimming pools, a small spa, spacious rooms, superb dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a twelve mile stretch of white sand beach to boot.

Rooms at the Sands are extra spacious  (Taylor)

Situated just eighty minutes by air from Miami, the Turks & Caicos are easy to reach, especially from the east coast of the U.S. Little wonder 70% of the visitors come from the United States and another 20% arrive from Canada.

Driving can be tricky until you get accustomed to using the left side of the road, but the ability to use U.S. dollars and American electrical outlets quickly compensates for the driving adjustments.

Off-season travel is increasing in popularity for many people, but when it comes to the Caribbean, off-season is really a misnomer. In a land of eternal summer and sunshine, it really doesn’t matter when you visit. As a result, the so-called off-season in the Turks provides the same wonderful weather plus a reduction in price.

Days end in the TCI always has the promise a bold new tomorrow  (Taylor)

Today, Turks & Caicos stands on the threshold of an exciting future boasting the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean coupled with strictly controlled development to protect the islands.

Island life as it used to be combined with luxury and comfort is the best of two worlds, and you can find it in the Turks & Caicos.

The article appeared first in Communities Digital News

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Finland: Where creativity abounds with “designs” on the future

The Sibelius Monument in Helsinki looks like an irregular series of organ pipes  (wikipedia)

FINLAND. November 7, 2015 – Admittedly this story is better suited for summer travel unless you thrive on outdoor winter activities. That said, Finland celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of national composer, Jean Sibelius, on December 8th. With that in mind, here are three great day trips you can do in Finland from the capital city of Helsinki.

1 – Iittala & Nuutajärvi (Finnish Glass) – Visitors to Finland are often surprised at the superb ceramics and design that is a national characteristic of the country. Nowhere is contemporary creativity better displayed in Finland than in the glass district.

Glass blowing demonstrations are popular  (wikipedia)

Nuutajärvi Glass, founded in 1793, is the oldest functioning glass factory in Finland. The factory site itself is one of the best preserved milieus in the country. Built in Neo-renaissance architectural style the bell tower dates to the 18^th century while the manor house, constructed in 1822, remains active nearly 200 years later.

Today, one of Nuutajärvi’s most popular collections is Birds by Toikka established in 1962 by Oiva Toikka who remains one of the greatest names in the history of Finnish glass.  

Nearby, another glassworks founded in 1881, Iittala has  expanded into other areas of design such as ceramics and metal which today includes tableware and cookware. Over the decades, thanks to an all-star group of designers, Iittala has built an international reputation for elegance and timeless design.

Commemorative Alvar Aalto stamp  (wikipedia)

Among the most famous artists were Oiva Toikka and Alvar Aalto who created his iconic Savoy Vase, now affectionately known as the Aalto Vase, in 1936.

For travelers, not only are the glass products unique souvenirs, but the glass blowing process itself is worth the visit. Here master craftsman breathe crystalline beauty from red-hot molten glass into incomparable glassware.

From the Aalto Vase to the exquisite architecture of Finlandia Hall, the white marble congress center in Helsinki, nothing better emphasizes the range of Finnish creativity. Completed in 1971, every detail of the building was designed by Aalto.

Stunning white marble facade of Finlandia Hall, designed entirely by Alvar Aalto  (wikipedia)

Such diversity makes Finnish design and craftsmanship “crystal clear.”

2 – Hvittrask – Speaking of building design, Hvittrask may just represent the greatest collection of architectural brilliance in history.

Architect's home and studio at Hvittrask just outside of Helsinki  (wikipedia)

Located just 19 miles west of Helsinki, Hvittrask was originally designed to be a studio home for associates of a Finnish architectural company. It later became the private residence of Eliel Saarinen, Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren. Constructed of logs and natural stone, the studio was created to provide the ultimate working environment for architectural innovation. Among the innovative studio designs was a huge slanted skylight that maximized the natural light in the forest to its fullest advantage.

Hvittrask translates in English to mean “White Lake” deriving its name from the small lake at the end of a wooded path leading from the house.

Eliel Saarinen lived at Hvittrask  (wikipedia)

Hvittrask was not without scandal, however, which makes the site all the more intriguing. During the time of their residence, Saarinen fell in love with Gesellius’ younger sister Louise, a sculptor in Helsinki. Following his divorce from his first wife, Mathilde in 1904, Saarinen married Louise, thus making it possible for Gesellius to marry Mathilde. One can only imagine what holiday gatherings were like at Hvittrask.

The site was also the boyhood home of Eero Saarinen, the son of Eliel and Louise.  Eero primarily made his reputation in the United States designing monuments such as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

During its heyday, Hvittrask was regularly visited by artist Axel Gallen-Kallela, writer/dramatist Maksim Gorki and composer Jean Sibelius.

3 – Ainola – Travelers to Finland immediately recognize the Finnish passion for the outdoors and Mother Nature. Ainola, which means “Aino’s place” in honor of Jean Sibelius’ wife, is the ideal synonym for that  zeal.

Jean Sibelius' home overlooking a lake at Ainola in Finland  (wikipedia)

Situated on the shores of Lake Tuusulaniärvi in forested surroundings, Ainola was the family home from 1904 to 1972. Sibelius required only two things from architect Lars Sonck; a lakefront view and a green fireplace in the dining room.

Sibelius portrait  (wikipedia)

The site was chosen for its solitude which Sibelius demanded for his work. Don't expect to hear the music of Finland’s national composer during a tour, Ainola remains totally silent out of respect for Sibelius’ need to concentrate.

So intense was Sibelius for quiet that water pipes were not installed in the house while he was alive because he could not deal with any distractions during construction.

Though isolated, the passion for nature attracted other Finnish artists to the area providing an active social circle for Sibelius and his family when he was not concentrating on his work.

Sibelius died in 1957 and is buried in a garden at Ainola. Today the home is open for visitors from May to September.

Ainola is now a seasonal museum open to the public from May to September  (wikipedia)

So you see, traveling to Scandinavia can be a rewarding exercise in all disciplines of creativity, and here are three examples of day trips to enjoy from start to Finnish.

Article first published in Communities Digital News

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Nisbet Plantation blends sugar history with modern charm

Palm Tree Alley lined with cottages at Nisbet Plantation on the island of Nevis  (Taylor)

NEVIS, November 28, 2015 – When winter looms, the Caribbean beckons and Nisbet Plantation on the island of Nevis is the ideal place to escape.

Nisbet Plantation is a place where Valium goes to relax.

Nisbet's remnants of its former sugar industry  (Taylor)

“On the island time forgot is a hotel you will remember forever,” is the way the Caribbean’s only historic plantation on the beach describes itself.

If first impressions are lasting ones, then visitors are immediately drawn to Nisbet Plantation’s signature gateway to the Caribbean Sea known as “Palm Tree Alley.”  The 30-acre tropical beachfront property uniquely combines a storied history with casual elegance.

Once immersed in the contagious ambiance of Nevis, visitors soon wonder what all the fuss was about back home. Nevis’ sister island of St. Kitts,just two miles across the shallow channel called “The Narrows,” seems like Mardi Gras by comparison.

Quiet street in downtown Charlestown  (Taylor)

On Nevis the biggest event of the day will likely be a dominoes match between some of the locals in the capital city of Charlestown. Or spotting of a green vervet monkey roaming through town.

Meanwhile, at Nisbet Plantation, the toughest decision a guest may make all day is which rope hammock to choose at the beach.

Clouds are common around Nevis Peak (neviscycleclub.com) 

Interlaced within its tranquil setting, Nisbet’s history hearkens to the romantic past of a more genteel era. Nevis is a gumdrop shaped island encompassing just 36-square miles. In the center rises Nevis Peak, the island’s dominant geographical feature. At 3,232-feet, the extinct volcano is almost always surrounded by clouds.

Little wonder that the island’s 18^th century plantation life embraced a legacy of cultured gentility, an ambiance that lives on at Nisbet Plantation.

Remnants of the sugar cane industry that once made Nevis “Queen of the Caribees” can be found everywhere on the island, and Nisbet Plantation was one of the richest. When Admiral Lord Nelson, the famed British naval hero, visited Nevis, he met Frances Nisbet, the wealthy widowed wife of Dr. Nisbet, who owned the plantation. 

Fanny Nisbet, wife of Lord Nelson  (wikipedia)

Fanny, as she was affectionately known, fell in love with the captain and they were married at Saint John Figtree Parish Anglican Church in 1787.

Just 32-years earlier, in 1755, Alexander Hamilton, was born on Nevis. Hamilton spent much of his childhood there before becoming a founding father of the United States. Even today the Nevis Island Assembly Chambers are located in the site of Hamilton’s birth.

Christopher Columbus sighted Nevis in 1493 calling it “Our Lady of the Snows,” a reference to the perpetual cloud surrounding Nevis Peak.

More than a century later, in 1607, Captain John Smith visited Nevis during the voyage that eventually led to the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World.

Electricity came to Nevis in 1954, but it was not available throughout the island until 1971. Even today, one will not see traffic lights or buildings constructed taller than a coconut palm tree.

Avenue of the Palms or Palm Tree Alley -- either way the Caribbean beckons  (Taylor)

For travelers enjoying Nisbet Plantation, Nevis’ history whets the appetite for island exploration and quiet dinner conversation. Dinner is served in the Great House, while breakfast and lunch are available on the beach where the Avenue of Palms gently yields to the embrace of the Caribbean Sea.

In 1950, Mary Pomeroy purchased the property and attempted, without success, to turn it into a coconut plantation. Eventually Pomeroy refurbished some guest rooms and later added bungalow-style cottages leading down to the beach.

Typical Nisbet Plantation cottage  (Taylor)

Nisbet Plantation features 36 rooms, of which 14 are superior rooms and 22 are suites in three categories. All rooms are elegantly appointed regional motifs and soft Caribbean pastels.

Rates, which include full a breakfast and dinner, as well as afternoon tea, vary according to season. Among the amenities are free Wi-Fi and 110-volt electrical current sockets, the same as the United States.

Resort facilities include a spa, tennis, fitness center and croquet lawn, plus three restaurants.

A favorite gathering spot is the great house which faces the rows of palm trees that lure guests to the beach. The Tea Patio overlooking Palm

Nisbet's Great House greets guests  (Taylor)

Perhaps more than anything the subtle touches give Nisbet Plantation its charm. Guests are greeted by name when they arrive for breakfast. Forget television. No HDTV here. Nisbet compensates with a small 6 page newspaper of its own that provides all the news of the day. For junkies who just  cannot break away, the wi-fi offers access to the outside world. Tree Alley is especially enticing in late afternoon when the day eases into the amber glow of twilight and sea breezes waft through the palms.

Rare view of Nevis Peak when it is not surrounded by cloud at its summit  (Taylor)

On the tiny hump-shaped paradise of Nevis, Nisbet Plantation is one of the few properties with direct access to the beach -- reason enough to saunter down Palm Tree Alley to locate that perfect hammock for the serenity that awaits.

The Great House nestles at the end of Palm Tree Alley at Nisbet Plantation  (Taylor

If Nevis is the “place that time forgot,” then it is also a place to forget about time.

Originally published in  Communities Digital News

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