The central European plain is bathed in the pale glow of a full moon. Cities and towns are islands of light connected by rivers of amber. Ahead we see a large illuminated island followed by a sea of darkness. On the far shore another shiny island is fed by multiple golden waterways. On the flightdeck of this modern-day Silk Road 'caravan', we know we are passing the Swiss city of Zuerich. The sea of darkness ahead is far from a flat body of water-the highest Alpine peak in the vicinity, Mont Blanc, reaches 15,782ft (4,810m) into the sky, blanketing the horizon. And the 'island' on the far shore is Milan Milano, the first stop on our journey along the Silk Road of the 21st century.
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