The ringing bells made me look down. I craned my neck to look at the origin of this musical sound. The blue lake was shimmering in the distance against the green meadows where the cows were grazing. The Swiss Cow bells hung in their necks continued to ring with their neck movements as they grazed on the fields. It was the perfect accompaniment to this wonderful sight and complemented the pretty postcard view. As our cable car moved up towards the snowy mountains the sound faded and died down but the memory stayed with me forever.
Our memories are linked to sights, sounds and smell of the destinations we visit.
The Swiss panorama was definitely beautiful but the cowbells ringing in the air were the icing on the cake. Even today that music is etched in my memory. The other day we were driving on the expressway towards Pune when the sound of the cars zipping past on the motorway made me think of Italy. My first ever autobahn drive was in Italy and now travelling on the motorway anywhere in the world always reminds me of Italy. Italy is a treasure house of various sounds from the bus rides on the motorways to the Gondola rides in Venice. As we were floating pass the narrow canals in Venice the gondoliers would belt out the Italian love songs with a deep soulful voice that stayed with us long after our gondola ride was over. |
As we were floating pass the narrow canals in Venice the gondoliers would belt out the Italian love songs with a deep soulful voice that stayed with us long after our gondola ride was over. The sound of the Italian language itself is a pleasure to listen to irrespective of the fact that you may not understand what is being spoken. But Italians speak as much with their gestures as with their spoken words and the entire spectacle of listening to an animated Italian conversation is a sight and a sound to remember! The hand movements, the rolling of the R’s and the twinkling eyes all showcase the Italian passion towards everything wonderful in life.
Another place where I have seen unabashed passion in the most delightful manner is Argentina. When strolling on the streets of Buenos Aires I heard some Tango Music and suddenly a couple started dancing the Tango. They were street performers and enjoying every bit of their dance themselves as much as all of us who were watching them. The passionate looks, the flaming red dress and the wonderful music together just lit up the street within no time. If there was any sound more wonderful than that then it was the people clapping and cheering the couple. Street performances all across the cities of Europe have a special charm; but my favorite surely has to be Covent Garden in London. |
 It is a special sight indeed to witness the various performances by amateur but very talented musicians here.One such concert lasted a long time with the crowd cheering the performers and when some of the satisfied onlookers dropped a few pounds into the baskets kept for collection the lead musician stopped and said “Hey, now that’s a sound I like!” His sense of humor made the crowd cheer louder and drop a few more pounds indeed!
The best part is that the sounds bring back wonderful memories long after you have heard them. Whenever I am stressed by the traffic snarls and the vehicles honking as they fight to go ahead, I often remember sitting by a lake in Austria. After an early morning walk I sat down by the lake and took in the silence of the still waters and the fresh air. It was amazing to be able to listen to every leaf rustling by the shores of the lake and the twigs cracking under my feet. As I sat in my car stuck in traffic, I thought of Austria as I closed my eyes and celebrated the sound of silence! |
