Fish, fields and foreign languages

Florian and I ate filet de perches with a bear garlic sauce under the grape vine awning. I’ve been told that the garlic comes from the Jura mountains and once was a favourite of the bears that lived there, thus the name, although ail d'ours sounds nicer than bear garlic. The grapes were still two months away from being pick-ready. The terrace of the restaurant was close enough to the lake that we could hear the water lapping along with the murmurings of the other eaters.

After we ate we drove through Canton Fribourg. The sun did not set until 9:58 letting us enjoy the summer-lush fields covered in wheat, cow corn, fruit trees and grape vines. A few fields were left fallow and were filled with buttercups and Queen Anne’s Lace.

The signs changed from French to German depending on the section we were riding through. Zu Verkaufen or Vendre. Buy a house in German or French. Vermitten or Louer. Rent a house in German or French. There is something about changing languages that gives the sensation of being on holiday rather than just going out for a good fish dinner.