Such utter perfection

Dr Fahim Chand | Monday July 18, 2022 06:00

Fuelled by nature’s perfection, every individual neuron responded and stood at attention.

And as the oxygen saturated haemoglobin parade pushed through its vascular transport tunnels, I felt invincible.

And as my eyes surveyed the scene, I could only admit that I had never seen a place like this. While the air had been precisely and expertly calibrated by nature’s finest invisible architects, the surrounding vista astonished by its insurmountable beauty.

A vast lake lay sprawled in front of me as I kneeled to touch the water. Cool and invigorating in its caress. A brief mystery unfolded as I gazed to the edge of the lake. Expecting to find algae and biological foam and maybe even an abandoned wrapper, here I found nothing. All that appeared was the unparalleled clarity of the water that allowed me to see the smooth pebbles that populated the base of this inland sea. What earthly sorcery allowed such utter perfection, I could not comprehend? As I stood up, I gazed into the distance. The artist who had painted this masterpiece had filled the horizon with majestic snowy-capped mountains that kissed the sky.

I turned around and my son Azeem and I walked back to join our colleagues as we awaited the trip for the day. As we stopped at a traffic light, a glorious scene unfolded. A tall stiletto healed contessa clad in a navy blue suit appeared before us. Her alabaster visage, punctuated by two perfect red streaks adorning her lips, was topped by straight, silky blonde hair. Her chosen mode of transport, a two wheel bicycle. A pair of tall gentlemen clad in slim cut suits, themselves constructed from the mould of Adonis, imbibed the contessa filled scene. A perfectly engraved little smile adorned her porcelain face. She was used to stopping the world in its tracks.

I smiled and asked our guide Minu Farber if we could buy a coffee from Starbucks directly across the street. She said it was ok, but not to delay because here the tour buses are never late. And as we returned with our fragrant cafe arabica elixir, we smiled at Minu, because as promised the bus had turned the corner to pick us up. Not only was this land unimaginably beautiful but also it was populated with not only kind, but also friendly people. As we boarded the ultra luxurious double decker bus, Minu collected my sons Ayaan and Azeem and escorted them to the front seats on the upper level, affording them the most exhilarating views of this magical land. Our excursion took us through mountain ranges housing shimmering lakes and enchanting villages. We finally disembarked ready to transition our journey.

The cool air not only welcomed, but also primed us for the grand vision that waited. A tall ridge encrusted snow-capped mountain snaked up to the sky. Edged by a babbling, fast flowing river, one wondered, was there no end to this unparalleled beauty? We climbed aboard a wooden train adorned with large panoramic windows, which transported us high into the mountain range.

The snow greeted us as we exited at the top of the mountain peak. A glance at the thermometer professed a temperature of -4 degrees Celsius, but the cloudless blue sky afforded the most spectacular views of the valley below. Shabana, Ayaan, Azeem and I engaged in a spirited and fun snowball fight. As our laughter thundered through the mountains, we entered the mountain top building called the Sphinx. The smell of coffee brewed from beans sourced from exotic lands permeated the air, alongside the sweet fragrance of chocolate. And there it stood, the letters clearly visible to all. L-I-N-D-T. Purveyors of the finest chocolate in the world.

This factory shop filled with limited edition flavours I had never seen before.

I think you already knew we were in Switzerland. But does chocolate fit into a healthy diet and lifestyle? Let’s see what science says. Studies show DARK chocolate, when it is not loaded with sugar and saturated fat, is a heart healthy treat that can reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Dark chocolate is rich with cocoa solids that contain flavanols, powerful disease fighting antioxidants. Antioxidants help combat inflammation and protect our cells from damage by free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of natural biological processes in our body, such as breathing and breaking down food, or stem from an outside source such as tobacco smoke, toxins or pollutants.

They can damage cells, proteins and DNA, and help trigger diseases. The body uses antioxidants to lessen or prevent the negative effects of free radicals. But remember milk chocolate has not shown similar benefits. Health experts suggest sticking to minimally processed dark chocolate bars that are at least 70% cocoa to obtain the most flavanols. But limit your portions. As we descended the Swiss Alps, a hint of tiredness crawled into our resting bodies. The day’s events remained deeply etched in our psyche, for this was a special place. No words could provide justice to the beauty of this spectacular land. Every glance providing a postcard perfect attack on the senses. It is with restless anticipation that I wait to revisit the Playground of Europe, home of the master chocolatiers of Lindt & Sprungli. I raise a toast to 70% cocoa and good health.