Cows, cheese & chocolate

Monday July 12^th

Switzerland. Today a day on the Naft – a mountain to us, but to the Swiss just a hill. We have the benefit of local knowledge – our friends Hans & Claire take us off the beaten track.

Napf

Well we made it - all 1500metres!  And down via the local farmers cablecar. Spectacular!

Switzerland, so beautiful, almost unreal with its green pastures & pristine villages.  And tonight another trip on the cablecar to a tiny restaurant with a view of Lake Lucerne.

Restaurant Alp Gschwaend, overlooking Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne

Last week a trip through Alsace-Lorraine – quaint villages & another wine route. And more supplies collected, of course!

Better late than never....

Holly’s birthday yesterday (she’s 30 – how old I feel, actually, I am!) & spent the past few days in Champagne with her & her partner Pete. Stayed at an absolutely magical place www.aupresdeleglise.com - check it out. An iconic French farmhouse, sumptuous food & great hospitality. Spent the days tasting fizz at different ‘caves’, both small & uber glam. And of course stock acquired for the next few weeks.

Today we took a rather more sobering visit to the Verdun battlefields. Poignant, sad.

Been in Europe a month now & spent the first 3 weeks in the UK, both London & elsewhere. Highlights were the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire & the David Hockney Museum in Saltaire, Yorkshire.