Grapes and Figs

… on which I nibbled on as I walked from Lausanne to Vevey.
East of Lausanne is a series of steeply terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva forming the Lavaux wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Facing south and southwest, they are divided into neat parcels by ancient dry-stone walls that soak up the hot summer sun; the proximity to Lake Geneva ensures a mild, temperate climate.
Along my path through the vineyards are boxes stocked with wine; put your money in the honesty box and take a bottle for your picnic.
In the twelfth century, Cistercian monks cleared the forests covering the mountainsides to plant vines. It then took several centuries to build the 450km of walls and 10,000 terraces - the Chasslas varietal thrives here today.
Vevey is also a modern, regional centre and headquarters of Nestlé, the largest international food company. It also has a famous inhabitant in the comedian Charlie Chaplin, who I lived when I was a child.
Well that is all very lovely. Reality is that I walk alone and I feel it. Marie is home dealing with some difficult family issues and here am I doing this stuff. Anyway I shall press on, determined to enjoy the local people and produce, as I did tonight with an excellent meal and wine in the hotel restaurant while watching the people go by on the sidewalks. We really are not all that much different. Gx.Read more