Let's go to Switzerland

Gruyéres, Switzerland

Gruyéres, SwitzerlandRiiiiicolaaaaa!  Yes, Ricola, the cough drop herbal remedy. That's what most people think when they see these guys with their alphorns.  Heck, I didn't even know what they were called until I went to Switzerland.  They were used for communication between villages in the alps.  Sometimes for people, sometimes for cattle. This is one of only two times I've ever seen them being used.  This is in the tiny town of Gruyéres.  This region in the alps is known for it's cheese and chocolate.  I ended up going on a tour of the cheese factory and it was very impressive.  The cows that they use for the milk roam the alps freely eating flowers, grass and herbs (some of the same herbs you find in Ricola).  This diet gives the cheese it's special flavor.  At the end of the tour they gave us 3 cheeses to try : each at a different stage of maturity.   It is definitely my favorite cheese.  Of course, every time I bite into a piece of it I remember the experience of being there.  I'm sure that plays into my love of this cheese.  At any rate, if you've never tried it, pick some up the next time you are in a good cheese shop. 
 

Appenzell, Switzerland

Cows, Alp Horns, Chocolate and that Stinky Cheese! Welcome to Switzerland!   Appenzell, Switzerland is a story book town in northeastern Switzerland.  It has a great small-town feel with great architectural character and charming streets.  When I was there I got to witness the processional of cows through the town.  In late August and early September the cows process from the mountains through the town and are guided by whistling and singing herders wearing formal traditional attire.  The cows are wearing either massive cow bells or flowers.  It's a pretty entertaining site to see.  One of the other funny experiences I had while in Appenzell was while purchasing some of the local cheese called Appenzeller.  Before I even set foot in the cheese shop, I was overwhelmed by the smell emanating from the shop.  There was a very pungent smell akin to smelly feet.  My friends and I forged ahead and stood inside the shop and we stood there just laughing.  I couldn't believe how they could work in this place.  But, part of the experience is to eat like the locals so I purchased some cheese for a picnic we were going to have in the Alps.  We took the bag of cheese with us on the train and it was funny watching the people who were considering sitting across the aisle from us.  Several people looked at us and smelled the cheese and went and sat somewhere else.  Finally, an elderly woman sat across from us and proceeded to look out the window.......with her finger covering her nostrils.   Priceless.  The cheese is simply called Appenzeller and you can find it in finer cheese shops.  It's great stuff and the kind I have bought in the states doesn't smell that bad.  Try it some time.   My all time favorite Swiss cheese is Gruyere.  Try the cave-aged kind and you will understand what truly great cheese tastes like.

Stein am Rhein, Switzerland

Just going through some of my images today and came across these photos from my time in Stein am Rhein, Switzerland.  I'm always impressed with the attention to detail in Europe when it comes to design, style, color and form.  They make almost everything with equal attention to both function and form.  Check out these shutters and the garage door.  Not just a simple paint job for this house.  The stripes add a really interesting design pattern to the facade.  And if you look really close you see a heart shape cut out of the shutter.  And you can see the hardware on the wall by the shutter designed to hold them in place.  Yes, these are actually functioning shutters.  Most of what we have in the states are screwed to the side of the house and don't serve a function.  I think I'll go eat some Gruyere cheese now.

Mürren, Switzerland

People often ask me what is my favorite country in Europe? I would have to say Switzerland. It's the most beautiful, quaint, clean, and friendly country I've visited. I enjoy the food and love the architecture for it's sense of style and warmth. It's an easy country to relax and take in the surroundings. To me it is heaven on earth. This is the hotel I stayed in recently. And the other photo is taken from our balcony on the 3rd floor. It was a huge wrap around balcony that works very nicely when you want to sit back and drink a beer and be awed. You can find some of my European photography for sale on both Etsy and Discovered Artists

Mürren, Switzerland

Being from the midwest, I grew up on meat and potatoes. So, it's probably no surprise that one of my favorite dishes in Switzerland is Rösti. It is hash browns with Alpine cheese, ham and a sliced pear. It's total comfort food and it is so good. This was one of the best meals on the entire trip. I had eaten at this same hotel restaurant years ago and I decided I needed to bring my friends to experience it. The hotel name is Hotel Alpenruh and it has one of the best views of the Lauterbrunnen valley from the restaurants outdoor deck.

Appenzell, Switzerland

So Appenzell is known for it's cheese. They have this very popular cheese called Appenzeller that pretty much smells like smelly feet. We walked by a cheese shop and could smell the cheese from outside. When you walked in the shop you were bombarded by the aroma. We had to buy some to truly experience Appenzell. I must say it was good cheese with a very strong flavor. But don't expect to make friends on the train if you bring on a bag of it.

Gimmelwald, Switzerland

This home has the most amazing view of the alps. Of course, coming from Indiana, any view of the Alps is amazing. I was hiking in Gimmelwald and came across it and ended up photographing the owners on the front porch.