The Chocolate Side of Switzerland

May you see the Chocolate Side of Switzerland.” That is what my friend Peter, a Swiss friend, told me when he heard I was going to tour Switzerland on motorbike.

“What a strange saying ,” I thought when I first heard it. Perhaps he meant that he hoped that I would have a “yummy” trip and see all the delights of Switzerland. Could he meant something, however, more esoteric such as that I should visit “the heavy side layer” mentioned in the musical “Cats.”

Not being, very metaphysically oriented, (many Harley affecianodos have an earthier approach to life), I decided to go to the Chocolate gnomes of Switzerland, and taste of their chocolate, and see if I could have an epiphany regarding this strange Swiss saying .

And so prior to my travels, I made a pilgrimage to those manufacturers of Swiss chocolates and consulted the Chocolate Wizards and Chefs in Zurich. And so in a short time I was at the mysterious Chocolate Factory of Lindt and Sprungli. That is Sprungli with an umlat over the “u”. They are renown for their manufacture of Swiss Chocolates and would have been Royal Chocolatiers to the King of Switzerland, had it ever had a king , which to the best of my knowledge it has not.

The Lindt and Sprungli Wizards informed me that Switzerland has been a nation of free men and women and reminded me about the story how William Tell had shot the chocolate bon-bon off the head of his small son. This event , also known as the Tell tale, has now made its way into every Swiss child’s history book.

And so the chefs at Lindt and Sprungli invited me to imbibe at the great Swiss chocolate fountain in order that I might learn wisdom and have insight into Peter’s wise saying. And so I did.

And as I set at the feet watching Swiss pastry chefs making chocolate delights, I had an epiphany. In the back of my mind, I heard a voice hearkening back to my MoKan roots saying : “Follow the Chocolate brick road, Follow the Chocolate brick road.” And that is the step I took. And as I gazed longly at the Lindt and Sprungli chocolate delights, I knew where in Switzerland I must go and what I must do.

After paying much geld for chocolate and insight, I departed from Lindt and Sprugli and headed for Pelican Harley-Davidson in Zurich to rent a Harley to follow the chocolate road and to see the chocolate side of Switzerland.

The pictures that follow show my pilgrimage and peregrinations through the chocolate side of Switzerland. Although I have many pictures I am including just a few to illustrate how the vision of Chocolate led me through this beautiful and wonderful country.