Did you know Meringues are Swiss?

I am stopping a few days in the Pays-d'Enhaut region of Switzerland, think Heidi, Milka chocolate and classic Swiss cowbells and this is your archetypal Swiss valley, it is stunning, pristine and immaculate.


The valley or region is famous for the super-chic ski village of Gstaad, where global billionaires come to ski, pose and hang out in their colossal chalets. There isn't a White Stuff clad chalet girl in sight.....thank goodness! Only super tanned Italian porn stars in furs and Prada! The town is being criticized at the moment for being a tax shelter for super-rich corporate titans, athletes and musicians such as Phil Collins and Tina Turner, who claim residency here in exchange for paying a fixed rate of tax.


Unfortunately it has not stopped raining since I arrived on Wednesday, normally this would be a snow junkies dream, but it is too warm here (all the Chelsea Tractors spewing their carbon emissions!) and so it only really snows at night when the temperature drops and then in the morning the rain washes the snow away. I have had only one session on a snowboard when the weather cleared yesterday, however it was fantastic - fresh powder and empty pistes - can't ask for more. Additionally any climbing I had planned has been postponed now till late March as with all the fresh snow in this region of the Alps there is a high risk of avalanche.


The strange thing about this country is the language but particularly in this valley, I realise there are several variations of the Swiss language – German (most widely spoken), French and then Italian propping up the rear with only the Ticino region and few other valleys speaking it. There is another language spoken here called Rumantsch and has its roots like Italian and French from Latin, it is spoken by just 0.5% of the total population.


In this valley between the villages of Chateau D'oex and Gstadd, there is approximately 18km between them, the first 2 villages speak French and then 7km up the road everything is German, very odd to have to move between shops and converse in another language!


In the spirit of bringing you erudite and off the wall facts about the countries I will be visiting (if you want the usual travel writing – go to http://www.lonelyplanet.com/) here are some mind numbing facts about Switzerland. Cuckoo Clocks come from Bavaria in Southern Germany not Switzerland, Meringues are from here – from the town on Meringue in fact, and they are very good here, not like those rocks from M&S that you can only buy in packs of 20. Lake Geneva is not called Lake Geneva its called Lake Leman!


Praying for a break in the weather to go and play in the snow.....Jon