where others come for vacation ...
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I'm out on a walk when Claudia texts me if I'd like to join her for Vita-Parcours in Seelisberg. But ofcourse!! I'm always ready for some outdoors fun, especially if it comes with a view.
Cara and Russell(Carussel), eager to get out, start barking excitedly as we park. They run around in glee. We start running up the trail to the starting point, jumping over tree roots, gingerly stepping over small stones, moss & wet earth. I bask in the Forest's atmosphere, soaking it in through all five senses. I let the sights, sounds, aromas and sensations of the Forest wash over me, gently touching the leaves and branches of the trees i run past and thanking them silently. Just being here is Therapy in itself.
Soon we arrive at the first station. It's a 1.9KM long course with fifteen stations and a total of 43 exercises (Endurance, flexibility, agility and strength) along with Pre & Post stretches. Though the exercise descriptions are in German, the accompanying pictures make it quite simple to follow. And Claudia is kind & patient to explain the not-so-obvious. We run from one station to the next, Carussel always finding something interesting to dig. Claudia has a bone for Russell, so he won't get tempted to carry stones in his mouth. He still manages to lose the bone a couple of times though 
After frog jumping, landing, running around & vaulting over obstacles, swinging & hanging by our arms (the hardest for me), push-ups & pull-ups, we arrive at a T-junction. Though the Blue parkour signs are pointing to our left, Claudia runs to the right. A detour, she says.. a few hundred meters later, I know why..
And there in all it's beauty, framed by the tree --Turquoise waters of Lake Lucerne, Blue Sky, Green mountains draped by white clouds.. A view that my eyes will never tire of. We stand mesmerised for a few minutes. My Spirit soars like a Condor riding on thermals along this Ridge, over the waters and on to the green mountains beyond. A bark brings me out of my Reverie..
Time to get back on track.. the last couple stations are calling us...
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There's a thunderstorm raging outside. We decide, its a perfect evening for a movie. Halfway through the movie, i see an interestingly lit sky out of the window. We pause the movie and step out on the Balcony..
To our Left - atop Bürgenstock, the Sky is on Fire. To our right - A Double Rainbow arising out of the Lake and disappearing into the Mountains in the back...
With the Sky full of Gold, why hike up the mountain to find the Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow?? Even if there's the promise of two pots...
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Today I'm going to hang out with the ladies of Beckenried in Waldshut. It's a medieval German town bordering Switzerland along the Rhine. It's also where the Southern Black Forest meets the Rhine and where the River Aare flows into the Rhine.
It's 7AM and raining pretty heavily as i walk to Hotel Seerausch, our bus boarding point. There's ~15 women already waiting. I recognise some of them.. and Darn it, don't remember all of the names. What with so many short silver-haired Anna-Maries, Theresias and Beatrices that all look alike..
The bus arrives almost fully packed.. We're ~55 women in the Bus. It's been a while since I've been with these many women. I pick a window seat towards the rear of the Bus. Margrit Käslin, a grandmother of 4, sits next to me. We talk quite a bit in Hoch-Deutsch (High German), about me, my story from India to San Diego to NJ to Beckenried and she shares hers -- she was born in a village 10km from here & grew up on a farm. I was all excited "Did you have animals" "Cows"? And she said matter-of-factly -- "Its not fun, if you have to wake up early every morning to Milk them" -- Reality Check!!!! The romantic vision that i had harbored all along to live on a farm amidst animals, quickly disappears out of the window. She explains that she has never traveled out of Switzerland, and is very happy to hear my travel stories.
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A valuable lesson, early in the Morning from Nellie and Skylar - "Slow Down. Take the time to Smell the Roses, the Floor and while you're at it, might as well eat some Grass.. after all it's Green, right?"
The Swans and the Ducks are stepping out of water to the lakeside meadows, to enjoy the new blooms and fragrances. While you're busy snapping pictures, if you pay attention, you might just catch the mama Duck taking her seven li'l babies out for an early morning swim...
Inhale.. Exhale.. Joie de vivre