Our Best Experiences Together 3 : The Switzerland's Panoramic Trains

Switzerland's panoramic trains are famous for their spectacular scenic journeys. Despite their names, they are not really an “express” train, they are deliberately slow so that passengers can enjoy the magnificent Alpine scenery.

When we were in Switzerland in April 2023, we had the opportunity to experience three of these famous scenic journeys. As the journeys were covered by our First Class Swiss Travel Pass, we only had to pay for our seat reservations.

We started with the Gotthard Panorama Express, which consists of two parts. The journey began in Lucerne with a scenic steamboat ride across Lake Lucerne to Fluelen. From Fluelen, we continued by train across the historic Gotthard route to Lugano. Next, we took the Bernina Express from Lugano to Chur. This journey also consists of two parts. For the first leg, we travelled by the Bernina Express Bus from Lugano to Tirano in Italy. From Tirano, we boarded the Bernina Express train for the spectacular journey across the Bernina Pass and through the Swiss Alps to Chur. Lastly, we took the Glacier Express from Chur to Zermatt, through the spectacular Swiss Alps.

Gotthard Panorama Express

Lake Lucerne

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/05/gotthard-panorama-express.html

Fluelen to Lugano

Bernina Express

Lugano to Tirano

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/06/bernina-express.html

Tirano to Chur

Chur to Zermatt

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/06/glacier-express.html

Stop at Natschen Station

The Best Places to Visit 3 : The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is immense. It is not a single continuous wall built at one time, but an enormous network of walls, watchtowers, fortresses, passes and natural barriers constructed by different Chinese states and dynasties over more than 2,000 years. Altogether, it measures approximately 21,196 kilometres. Most of the well-preserved sections seen today date from the Ming dynasty. We have visited six sections of the Great Wall, including its westernmost and easternmost ends.

Jiayuguan Great Wall

天下第一雄关

The westermost part of the Great Wall in the Gansu Province

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2012/10/jiayuguan.html

Jiumenkou Great Wall

where the Great Wall crosses a river

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2025/11/jiumenkou-great-wall-2.html

On the Great Wall above River Jiujiang

Laolongtou

The easternmost of the Great Wall

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2025/11/old-dragons-head-laolongtou_11.html

Where the Great Wall extends into the Bohai Sea

Shanhaiguan Great Wall

天下第一关

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-first-pass-under-heaven.html

Mutianyu Great Wall

不到长城非好汉

He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true hero

This verse is taken from a poem by Mao Zedong

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2025/10/mutianyu-great-wall.html 

Juyongguan Great Wall in 2001

I have been a hero ever since 

Pause

I have completed the posts on our trip to Austria. Our next trip to Shanghai is on 31st October 2026. Meanwhile I shall post some of "Our Best Experiences Together" and "The Best Places to Visit" until then.

Istanbul to Singapore

Our flight back to Singapore departed at 1.50 a.m and lasted 10 hours and 4 minutes. With that, we closed another chapter of our travels.

Prawn and Char-grilled Octopus Salad

Traditional Turkish Meatball Soup

Grilled Lamb Chop

Bread and Butter Pudding

Fresh Fruits and Assorted Cheese

Chia, honeycomb, fresh fruits and cheese

Poached eggs with spinach

Smoked turkey and "kasar" cheese toast

Ready for landing

That's all folks!

I will continue when we come back from our trip to China in October 2026

Istanbul Airport

We spent our transit time at the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge. We did not eat much as we were still full from the meal served on our flight.

 

Turkish Simit

Turkish Moussaka and Rice

Vienna to Istanbul

Our flight was at 1905. It took us just 1 hour and 51 minutes to reach Istanbul.

Our welcome drink

The plane taking off

Chicken, fried egg plant and tomato salad

Braised Lamb Shank

Our flight path

Vienna Lounge

There was no hot food available, only desserts and pastries. The lounge certainly did not live up to our expectations.