Madams,Monsieurs and Mountains!

 Hello everyone, I am back home( since hmm some time now ) in the south of Netherlands, after a soul stirring time in  Switzerland. It was challenging to get used to my old routine of having two full time jobs(being a mother and an artist) But i am not complaining, I really missed painting when I was away and now I miss other things.Human mind is a strange thing. It is always bonding with every thing and every one quickly and then it silently suffers until a strong cup of coffee is served or you slap yourself for picking such a gorgeous spot for holiday. With all the bondage I have for this earth, I am sure to be reincarnated. Alright, back to Switzerland and my silent suffering.



Lake of Geneva

I miss the fresh, mysterious mountain air and the lake of Geneva which was my wake up call. I miss the perfect breakfast's which intoxicated me with the smell of fresh home made jam and comforted me with several cups of orange cinnamon tea, while I embraced the beauty of the fairy tale lake. I have a special fondness for tea , herbs, chocolates and cake along with (several other things, we shall get it to another time ).Little did I know, I will find more tea, more cakes and chocolates in all size and shapes to confuse my taste buds,actually get a chance to bring back home some of the mountain herbs I have longed to smell for years and even get ideas of making my own perfumes.

 

 I thought ''French'' as a language was a bit over rated until I listened to French in the romantic Swiss Riviera. It blends in with the mighty mountain scenes, stunning architecture which takes you back in time and the lake , which kept playing with my eyes every time I looked at her. She kept changing her colours according to her mood. I think its a '' She'. Some one who has so much character, beauty, charm and mood has to be a woman :) I fell in love with the language, the magical castles, beautiful wooden houses in the ski areas which the Swiss people proudly call'' Chalet '' and the amazing  outdoors which set my mind free . I fondly think of the Swiss cows who dared to come close to say a loud ' moo 'after our picnic in the Jura mountains and I try to remember the cheese which was begging to be eaten every time it came on my table.


One of the best chocolate ice creams!

I always like to see what locals are up to, so we went to the Friday market in the morning down by the lake in Monteux and the lovely Sunday market in La Tour-de-Peilz , where one can buy fresh fruits, cheese, and even find handmade soaps and jewellery. There were many farmers who came from the near by villages and old towns to sell their home made cheese, fruits and jams. And you could hear ''Bonjour'' everywhere.The tiny but more than perfect line of boutique shops in the old streets were pure joy to look at. ( Keep your credit card at home, you might not be able to resist buying little treasures in the one of a kind shops where they sell antics,divine jewellery, bags and gorgeous ceramics) Everything on this side of the country has an old world elegance that made it extremely difficult for me to stay and feel normal. And the minute I felt normal, someone would call me Madame or Mademoiselle depending on how far my husband and son were standing.( I dint know if it was a joke.)

 

There was also something unusually comforting in listening to the wind ,walking between vines, breathing the fruity air ,watching the small sail boats floating away in the lake of Geneva, tasting fresh grapes and making photos ,hymning my favourite tune. It was like playing a part in a romantic novel, except that I had to change diapers and chase my little monkey boy who seemed to enjoy the place just as much as we did, or a little more. He danced along with the swans in Vevey, made his first climbing record in the Jura, watched trains go by in Cully, enjoyed cheese fondue and a dance evening in Lutry with some wonderful people, loved ice creams in Bern and Lausanne and was especially fond of breakfast time in La Tour-de-Peilz ........(a few highlights of his holiday).

Meringue with fresh cream!

 

Some of the wonderful things:

 

* The epic outdoors.

* The epic outdoors.

* The epic outdoors.

*Breath taking sunrise and sunsets.

* Organic food and vegetable farms.

* Home made Jams, spreads and sauces from the little villages around the lake.

* The gardens and wooden homes which are a delight to look at.

* Cheese and smooth chocolates.

 

Now that I have said a lot of good things, its time to look at the other side.

 

*The taxes are high.

* They have too many choices for wine and chocolates, which made shopping extremely challenging  for me.

*They finish off most of the chocolates that are made there.( No wonder I dint even know some of them existed) so if you like a particular brand, be there on time to grab them. :)

*They don't tolerate if someone takes an inch of their parking space.

*Not a good place for someone who don't like cakes, meringues and chocolates.

 

The best thing I bought back from Switzerland other than for the chocolates and memories : An original music box.

 

 I am thankful for the peace and harmony this holiday gave me and when I came back, I made a new painting called 'There must be an Angel', which is available as prints, greeting cards and iphone cases. Oh and then I changed my business name from Poppeke - Art for happy people to Art For Happy People by Rakhee Krishna.

There must be an Angel!

May the angels above you help the angel inside you to be in harmony

with all beings around you. - Rakhee

 

With that thought, I am letting you go,

Have a wonderfully positive time!

 

Love,<3

 

The travelling artist / Art For Happy People by Rakhee Krishna