![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacjuZxc_uM4laknofAvn7M072ZOFB3rnwFHjTf1KFyWpg2dud7yzn5OwZAQhMGLZO5AHI02Ix5_TJt8pwENq3mCk9j7I4ux4MeuG22QG-Q1SBXXrbhxsU3NsVEhev_fKseIcNqFuTEL0/s892/Gruyere+village+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
We discovered that artisanal Gruyères cheese-making involves more automation and stainless steel than one might expect, but that expert cheesemaker, cheese cultures and seasonal cow pastures are happily still crucial.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxKO-TdbXXt1KlHZ2DkpFXn1gHXLhUS0N-mQZzgUPqoHL5SWqiJB3qmVQfXOhyAekdmx3BhzGj7GfpTVqifTBeZITTSzC2Qp85DIDWB5R9kx0GJXWMhWuDyLunaKCvZfaWc_a9jgXLew/s864/Guyere+cheese+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
The Swiss are not scared to do touristy...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqhLHH_k0CoUKotMqxhhpUGlmXWjrxFkE-mpOF26gygqDvJzpybZQeinMJPkf7YAg_tQ4f5_VHqyO2noEmDdvSb890zu7Nx2Q9H2IQG-8xwtO0yaGTrZkiPf7gvHRUluQUJ7He5dLq-8/s600/Gruyere_curio_junk_Switzerland_photo_Donovan_Kirkwood.jpg)
...which means raspberries and cream all year round and eye-wateringly expensive, soggy rösti that bear no resemblance to the gloriously crispy real thing. Luckily I knew better than to order Swiss-German food in French-Swiss territory, and had glorious Gruyères fondue instead. Even tourist restaurants cant fuck up melted cheese.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn2FICXgUfhFn5CPgOXTDVxe5un-1ykE-3p3e1ahAsiVWaxfrHOlL34aVwWWoWFkGWpylCghog9ZaFHL3IjBB_B-pt1SbvT2dk-W5rVXf9z_5YHE-rg4DspHO1plGMLMg75TnFEVEGJ8/s900/Gruyere+street+menu+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
After I got home I did a CSI type analysis of the view photographs and determined that there were in fact big mountains beyond the grey veil.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4iwOLYdOpEq7I2z-CFKzQ52YmZ9wF9DxLmvct0zYEFW-46pW0Iu-olvtisCpxQVdOVNssyvpBg3eahtxIMXLZx05CLiOVZ8ZyMB6AfptJ9amj4vAKDVaqmoYOWmU4F-ClNphSMFi-9U/s952/Gruyere+misty+mountain+view+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
But the fantastic thing about travelling is that none of the touristy stuff matters. It's the little things that tell you you're in a different part of the world.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaCFdxvaFmu9IwrYOTHwDKSrAmFGQPcC6poTgAiAy9bXpPHTTyvZypgTmteTPb3_I9vWeyJxxSRe6_L2GVNNzYloQO3nFoPRAEk77aQEeWpqWWX4MIt1I3qQsea0e_66CMZ_QNy5U3Wc/s900/Gruyere+creeper+%2526+shutters+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
A bench lurking in a hidden corner, off the main street, with a back carved just as Heidi would have known.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0_OOzjY57A6W2ArQ73vpwDLokIR5-LIV_Pgnx08stMZCTqsLzvux9jqWwabFeRRJXssi-WSNM95Xa2_5WJdJwVMp0ACHi0w5Vybg1Jnp8Uxx95zTlOS2xPqaRtpHlfP15VNN5KBBk_E/s900/Gruyere+bench+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
A church with a particular kind of steeple.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kDHInV1Opb7UFtaW9AOufglQWIPNGkhaFczdvvg7pNisuvv6kZRfCgTRWAI5HvrclSl6AdXkl1n0UT3nQ1OJpju6NTDQFzdKseKMG0VDWzD1f8x9VWd0rAaA3xJf1QsoujmPFu1IA4E/s900/Gruyere+church+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
A sculpture you knew about but didn't expect to see on that square of all places, outside an entire Giger museum.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1Pb_FFdBSNJhEE8i3t2BzM6XylNDUC93JjuvJnKblRFeVNBQnJJLoc0Dg6_4DaIB5KT8VPrJghrWeZ1VEJ3PU6fP4KwIKjSOFgMPeZVhs6wTjmisAP0DzVbjJB1SE7FQ5i0k4st4VGc/s900/Giger+birth+machine+baby+sculpture+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
And just a little further outside the town, house styles that haven't changed in centuries.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBHCAXQwLyPGUV1MRjrActQHrt8oQfZv_S8-JnhAQiydUD96dF4f5JKGUrR6t8rK3TFNAQURNYHLWvxW6wVTpqq7CguwmibKFRfLgyyU8b2FGFklD8iY75JZoYM_IUqT4QHL6d10oYKA/s900/Gruyere+wooden+house+firewood+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
Barns and farm life.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtIgG-bYe15W8FoM76RhpudcHvryxWJHKKfzA6AMRyFuJ-IfiVHlukP91qikQfIrtlYkYdm6TDEBXKET3EXA2B00WZIJ_yxwdny9NBmwlIChWaQxiu4j7dsT3L_I-HxLp_BiK9d2Gjok/s900/Gruyere+barn+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
Fields for the cows that smell completely different from cow fields here (dramatically more intense than our gentle local cow poo).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZ-PeQfuia-U2IWf5Fk7SqhPTM4EsYHviFBoCIicJCHCNA9Fc5ZURCIzQb9_XMZau2cDUJ9CVlkqdCRSweJw_1J-j2Jia6Yg6U8YWqWsjolWVJib3nmziATKtpmsaqy2Gwq_lJoBnHS0/s600/Gruyere+field+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
Happy chickens, even if they're Rhode Island Reds and a symbol of creeping global uniformity. They're still happy chickens, and delightfully pastoral. Can you tell I love chickens, and especially Rhode Island Reds?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsIrVBq6invbqwUYHD9u8ERDbWDLts8J8uDHw9FwyPDwJs0Bp2bqvjpb0Vt19M3I0b-2-PFEi1FPI1qR8xcuHYGj79U4F3q-ChzG_z17H7_OsGyAWaknBmuiQLRdY4vSxloyLdznTYgg/s900/Gruyere+Rhode+Island+Red+chicken+photo+Donovan+Kirkwood.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment