Montreux Christmas market

The Montreux Christmas market http://www.swiss-riviera.com/christmas-market is 120 tiny chalets selling crafts, jewelry, antiques, decorations, candles, spices, wine, cheeses and whatever else you might imagine. The chalets are lined up along the lake. A split of sunshine glistened across the water to the snowy Alps that rose straight up into the heavens.

As I wondered up and down the pine chipped paths, I passed the sausage and cheese chalet three times the size of the others. I noted the wares laid out in Gourmet Magazine beauty. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. A dog that had to have had a passing St.Bernard in his DNA sat patiently in front of the stand.

The market went as far as the Freddie Mercury statue http://7is7.com/otto/travel/photos/20031110/freddymercurystatuemontreux.html. The rock stars flames for eternity his microphone held high over his head. In the background Bing Crosby crooned Christmas carols, although in my head Mercury’s voice singing “we will, we will rock you” almost drowned out Bing.

My first Christmas Market had been in Stuttgart as a bride and although I couldn’t afford to buy even a one mark ornament at the time, I loved the cold and the spirit and wandered through every day.

When I was first in Europe and Radio Free Europe was a client I managed to see them on Fridays in Munich before Christmas from 1990 to 1993. After the call I headed to nearby Garmish to visit my cousins and on Saturdays we visited the Munich market in the shadow of the Cathedral buying a mug to hold out glüh wine to warm us as we went from stand to stand. Würst and brotchen were usually added. Once my daughter came down from Männheim and we ate pastries and drank hot chocolate in the tea room that overlooked the market and we could watch the shoppers bustling between the stands as snow fell creating a living Christmas Card.

This year my Christmas shopping is just done. Usually it is done by late summer, but I wasn’t able to fall across things I wanted for people so during the last two weeks I’ve finished the bits and pieces. Thus I resisted the merchandise on sale in Montreux. However, I wasn’t about to resist lunch. A large chalet with wooden walls had been set up. The tables were long with benches. The table cloths and curtains were red checked and the waitresses all had the traditional red Swiss blouses. I ordered the macaroni de chalet, piping hot with cheese, cream, bacon and parsley. All my beloved Swiss desserts, meringues and double cream, berries and cream were also on the menu. I told the waitress as an adult I should be able to order dessert before the meal so I would have room for it. She laughed as she handed me the desertless check.

Outside the sun was still shining, the Alps were still snow covered. Dean Martin had taken over Christmas Carol duty. The dog was still sitting in front of the sausage stand. Christmas is a time of hope.