Cows, chocolate and cheese

Took a bit of a break from my blogger lifestyle for the past few weeks but want to do some updating now because my horrible memory will surely thank me later. I got back this week from an amazing fall holiday to northern Italy and then Ireland. Before I jump into that though I have some Swiss traditions to share from before I left. 

Each year in Switzerland, after spending about four months grazing in the Alpine pastures, the cows process down the mountains in a traditional celebration know as Désalpe. Some of the cows wear elaborate headdresses and the farmhands are dressed in traditional clothing from the area as they make their way down the mountain. Along with about 40 other au pairs, we went to the Gruyère region early one Saturday and squeezed onto the crowded sidewalks to get a look at the procession. 

The cows wear huge bells around their necks and hundreds of these parading through the streets made for quite an impressive soundtrack for the day! We were able to wander through a market that was set up and sample some wine and cheese from the region. Everyone flocked back to the main street though when the emcee announced the next wave/farm of cows that would be arriving. As a midwesterner, I respect the importance of cows but this pomp and circumstance was a whole new level. The town was very beautiful and we got to take in the views which is always a plus for me. 

After a few hours, we moved on to the second event of our day- visiting the Cailler chocolate factory! 

We started with a history of chocolate that went from the Aztecs to the Spanish and then up to the Swiss legends that perfected the craft. We were able to see the different ingredients and components that go into making their various products as well as watch how they are made.

The samples were the best part though if I'm being honest. You made your way around the room starting with the classic milk chocolate and ending with the fancy creations. Pacing yourself is the only way to make it though. 

The last stop of the day was what I was most excited for- visiting the Gruyère cheese factory! Unfortunately, their museum wasn't as well done as Cailler's but we still got to sample some cheese so I counted it as a win anyway. After visiting the factory gift shop (where I bought a reusable bag... my greatest weakness), we started our hike up to the main part of town. I'm amazed time and time again with how beautiful this country is. 

We finished off the day with an amazing dinner of macaroni and cheese (made with Gruyère of course) and chalet soup which is a delicious melange of vegetables from the region as well as milk and cheese. This was my dinnertime view:

It was a quintessential Swiss day and I couldn't have been happier. I'll leave you with a video of the cow procession and a mini concert featuring the cor des Alpes. This is a traditional mountain instrument that was initially used to communicate over long distances and from what I can tell is now mostly used for show... Video here!

Italy and Ireland coming soon!!

Swiss German Adventures

When I was in the Alps the other weekend (can't believe I can actually write that...) we took a detour to Lucern to see what the city had to offer and it did not disappoint! It was extremely beautiful but that's sort of become the norm here in Switzerland :)

Despite being fairly crowded with tour groups, we maneuvered away from the lake towards the Ruess River and the series of bridges that cross it. Originally constructed in the 14th century, the wooden Chapel Bridge is a well-known landmark in Lucerne. It has been burned down a few times but thanks to new security measures it was standing when we visited. 

The picture above is the view looking at the 'Old Town' from the Chapel Bridge. Restaurants lined the river and lots of people were enjoying the beautiful weather. I think it would have been a romantic place to have dinner- if you're into that sort of thing. It was a quick visit but nice to see another city in Switzerland. Here is my favorite picture from Lucerne. Clouds, water, beautiful architecture- does it get any better?!

We stayed in Zurich for the evening and left for the Rheinfalls the next morning. The largest plain waterfall in Europe, it was formed in the last Ice Age and is currently under consideration for hydropower projects. 

Groupies in front of the Falls

We made the short drive back to Zurich and after dropping Laura off at the train station, walked around Zurich a bit. Even if you didn't know that Zurich was a financial center, you would have noticed the banks and private equity offices that lined every street. We walked down Bahnhofstrasse and admired (and critiqued) the window displays. The best by far was this macaroon display: 

And I didn't take a picture, but believe me the worst was the Chanel display. Felt purses and boucle patterned tennis shoes were heavily featured. (Not saying I'm a fashion expert- my sisters will probably agree- but I just couldn't get on board with what they were selling.)

We got caught in a bit of a downpour while taking in the city so we called our tour a little early and headed back to the train station. I actually enjoyed seeing the city in the rain. It was less crowded and I love the way streetlights look after the rain. I will leave you today with a snapchat pic of me wearing a dirndl! Lena, Patrick and Jermaine left for Oktoberfest after Zurich and Lena let me try hers on. It was enough to convince me to buy one of my own in the next year. 

Shoutout to my German roots!