After a tour of the local area ( I understood about 5% of the commentary since it was in Swiss German) we were served lunch. Now, this was a potentially difficult situation - we were fairly certain that horse would not be on the menu and reasonably certain that veal would. Of course, with our high moral standards we decided that we would politely leave it on one side. Then, of course, we were worried about offending a community that we are trying to be part of. Next we gave ourselves a verbal whipping for being so weak and small-minded. And so it went on. Eventually, we decided on what we felt was the only sensible course - we would eat the veal...and feel guilty after. I ate the veal...and didn't feel guilty, but I did feel uncomfortable.
This doesn't mean that I am ever going to buy veal, nor am I going to eat it at a restaurant. At the end of the day, it WAS more important to me not to reject this hospitality. Am I willing to lay aside all of my principles to become part of a community? No. But this one I can live with.
Before our meal we had a wander around the Hebsmarkt which was, it has to be said, somewhat of a disappointment. I had been expecting lots of local producers and artisans, but there was a preponderance of plastic. But there were a few delights:
These pear-like fruits are actually quinces. I was so excited to find them. The price? You won't believe it. A whole.....2CHF a kilo. In other words, 50p/lb. It was only my lack of jam jar capacity that stopped me buying the lot. Even better, I then
spied a very rare bird indeed - the lesser-spotted spinner. Yep, I found a spinner. Even better, she seems to be a lovely lady, who is going to collect me in a couple of weeks to take me to a spin-in. I don't need to worry about my lack of Swiss German - the lingua franca is fibre :0)
