A Typical Swiss Farm (And Some Economic Chatter)

Baa

One of the most memorable parts of my time in Geneva was venturing to the Gruyeres region. You can read about my visit to the teeny and wonderful town of Gruyeres here, but the first part of this day trip deserved its own post!

Our first stop was at a farm perched on the hills in the Gruyeres countryside, perhaps about 20 minutes away from the town. Total disclaimer: this was a tourist stop, plain and simple. We were there to learn how to make fondue.

HOWEVER – Switzerland has a way of making tourist traps feel much less cheesy (ha.ha..cheesy…fondue…get it?) and I truly believe that this farm was mostly authentic. For one, the woman making the fondue spoke barely any English – not the norm in the more tourist-catering spots in the country. Secondly, our guide pointed out that our hosts lived here year round and only opened to tourists in the summer – pointing out the simple beds that were kept next to the giant cheese points for warmth during the winter.

At this point I had been in Geneva for two months and of course had heard of fondue – but somehow hadn’t gotten to try it yet. This is due to two reasons: fondue (much like everything but kabobs in Switzerland) is expensive. Secondly: fondue is a traditionally winter meal – I mean, it’s a giant vat of hot cheese. Now, I’m down for that year-round, any time of day, but it gets you judgy looks. Oh well.

I also knew nothing about the history of fondue. Apparently it started as a a traditional Saturday or Sunday meal, when the man of the house would pull together the left-over cheese, dregs of wine, and stale bread from the week for an industrious and filling meal. And yes, the bread is specifically meant to be stale – that way it sticks to the fondue spears better and soaks up more cheese.

While waiting for the fondue to boil/stuff our faces, I wandered outside to spend some time with the animals. Obviously they were adorable, that’s universal.

But while I was out there I did have a bit of a culture shock moment. I had started feeling it on the drive over, but hadn’t really been able to put my finger on it. In the United States, the countryside and more rural areas tend to be where lowerclass populations live – houses get smaller, older, in need of more repair. Establishments are spread out and cars are become more rickety. Many rural areas still lack running water, electrical heat, phone or internet access. Obviously I’m not saying that everyone who lives in the country is poor – but in my experience, America’s rural areas tend to be larger and more impoverished than many city-clustered residents think.

However, as we drove further from the city, Switzerland’s countryside did not appear to decline in that familiar patterns. Villages were small, houses were modest – but every structure appeared well-built, stable, and comfortable. Most of the homes had cars in very good shape – some every luxury vehicles.

In this country of considerable wealth, living in a rural area seemed to be more normal, less stigmatized than in the United States. And that was a bit jarring.  Ultimately it seems our wealth is more spread out, and more unequally distributed amongst our populace, making for those pockets and swaths of economically impoverished areas that I rarely saw in Switzerland.

Ok, that’s my limit on economics talk. Here are some cute farm animals!

New best

Chickadee

Moo

Intruder in the chick pen…

 

Beautiful Bern

We only had the time (and energy) for a quick train layover in Bern, but it was more than enough time to start falling in love with the gorgeous and historic city.  The city was established sometime during the 12th century by Berchthold V, a local Duke, who named it after a bear he killed in the nearby forest. Which is nice and all, but maybe he could have just left the poor bear alone in the first place. The city was largely destroyed by a fire in 1405 and rebuilt in sandstone, allowing for its current cohesive style.  Today, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is also the federal capital of Switzerland.

 

 

The Bundestag, or Parliament Building

Clock tower, dating back to the 12 century

The astronomical clock and musical clock on the other side of the clock tower. This tower served as the city’s first west gate, and the surrounding squares are built on what used to be the city moat.

Canton flags on the dome of the Bundestag.

Berchthold and his bear

United Nations Headquarters in Geneva

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home, so close and so small…Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.” Eleanor Roosevelt in her role as the first president of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

United Nations Headquarters

Paix, the mural outside UN headquarters

The Broken Chair Sculpture, meant to raise awareness about land mines

Love these fountains outside Palais – such fun to play in!

Newly dedicated memorial to Sbrenica genocide

Twisted Gun sculpture, “Freiden.”

Ghandi sculpture at the nearby Ariana gardens

Gruyeres – The Town That Smells Like Cheese

I mean that in an entirely complimentary way, of course. Who doesn’t want a town that smells like cheese?

This past weekend I was lucky enough to visit the town and neighboring area of Gruyeres with my dad. I would highly recommend it – with some caveats. We went as part of a tour group on a bus; I get the impression that going independently would be doable, but would definitely require some extra logistical work. Also, though the town of Gruyeres is absolutely gorgeous, it’s teeny-tiny – there’s literally one road. If you come for lunch or some hiking you could make several hours of it, but for a full day I would recommend adding on a tour of the Callier chocolate factory or a nearby cheese-making farm. For those who are equating a Callier tour with Hershey Park, let me point out two key differences: 1) Callier is not geared towards 5-year-olds, focusing more on the history of chocolate and the chocolate production line, from cocoa fruit to final product and 2) unlimited samples.

Much love to Hershey Park. ‘Merica and all. But UNLIMITED SAMPLES.

While in Gruyeres, it’s assumed that you’ll try fondue. Don’t even think about ordering something other than fondue for lunch. This is one tourist fascination that lives up to the hype – plus it’s something that actual Swiss people do as well.

Apparently, fondue originated back on the farm. While women would cook meals during the week, on Saturdays the man of the family would graciously take over, and in the true lazy-but-ingenious style that only men can pull off, would boil some white wine, add garlic, and then dump in all the leftover cheese of the week. Served with slightly stale bread and meats, you get fondue. Today, fondue is typically reserved for special occasions and eaten predominantly during the winter. Aka you’ll get funny looks for ordering fondue in the summer, but DO IT ANYWAY.

In Gruyeres, the typical fondue is called half and half – as in, half Gruyeres cheese and half Vacheron cheese. As good as you already think melted cheese is, this is even better. For dessert we were given an amazing concoction – meringue and double-cream, a Gruyeres specialty. Expecting something more along the lines of the more widely-known Chantilly creme, I was surprised to find the double cream to be not at all sweet – it more like a very light, unflavored yogurt. That doesn’t sound too appetizing, but it actually paired very well with the ridiculous sweetness of the meringue cookie, which if you don’t know is about 95% pure sugar.

There are two very strange things about Gruyeres that I should mention now. Inexplicably, it is the home of the H.R. Giger Museum and the Tibet Museum. At the Tibet Museum you’ll find one of the largest collections of Buddhas in Europe. At the Giger museum, you’ll find…aliens. Of the Alien variety.

And they’re right next to each other. In a rural medieval Swiss village.

It’s like there’s absinthe in the town water fountain.

But anyway.

The town of Gruyeres is pleasant to explore – though again, teeny-tiny. Climb up to the castle (because every town in Switzerland seems to have its own castle), explore the terraces, and pretend you’re a princess. Moo at some cows. Laugh at some tourists. Eat some more cheese. See how many children cry when they see the Alien sculpture outside the Giger museum. Grab an artisan gelato and take some time to stare out at the mountains, pinching yourself as you try to remember that places this beautiful actually do exist.

More castle!

Castle!

Entering Gruyeres

The Jet d’Eau

Ok, let me be clear. The Jet is actually just a big stream of water shooting into the air. It’s the world’s biggest fountain, and has some really cool details about it, but really – I can just picture a group of engineering students smoking some pot one day and going “Duuuuude. You know what would be cool?”

I recognize that. It’s a silly, slightly-phallic nonsensical bragging point. But at the same time…

It’s flipping awesome.

For obvious reasons, they only run it during spring, fall, and summer, and not when it’s particularly rainy. But on a warm day, venturing out onto the pier, getting soaking wet, seeing the city from a completely different standpoint, and marveling at the rainbow created by the falling water catching in the sunlight…it’s a must for any Geneva visitor.

Swans are everywhere near the lake. They are about the size of me and I’m pretty sure one will eat me one day.

These wonky trees line the lake and much of the rest of Geneva. Apparently they are trimmed every year so that they always grow back in the same shape. I’m honestly not really sure why you would want that, though.