Sour chocolate

See these frogs?  They're adorable, right?  And completely made from chocolate.  Look closely and you'll see they even have chocolate in their mouths.  The Swiss LOVE their chocolate.  We're told that around Easter and Swiss national holidays, the Swiss like to give each other gifts of chocolate and that it's best to order early rather than hope to be able to buy some in a shop in the "spot market."

But speaking of shops, that's what this post is really about.  These pictures were taken at a little chocolate shop in the Rive (reeve) area next to the old town.  It's the main shopping drag downtown and has many exclusive shops.  Apparently, this chocolate shop is one of them.

We passed by it and saw the frogs in the window. In case you don't know, frogs are Soul Swisster's favorite animal.  She collected them when she was younger.  So we went in (the store was very small and did not have any other customers in the store) because she wanted to ask about shipping some back home.  The exchange with the woman went like this:

SS (Soul Swisster):  Good morning.  Do you speak English?  I was wondering if you ship to the United States?

SSW (Snotty Swiss (?) Woman):  (looking over her shoulder) States? (crinkles nose) Pfffttthhh. (sneer & shrug) No English. (looked back to what she was doing and ignored Soul Swisster)

We turned and left.  Quickly.  Because The Cheese Whiz was about to come unglued.  He speaks just enough French to say something nasty and was very close.

So, some observations:
1.  We don't know if she was Swiss.  Hard to tell since we're so close to the French border.  But let's assume she was.  This is a prime tourist area.  People come from all over to go shopping here.  In July and August, for example, the Middle East seems to empty out and anyone who has money comes to Geneva where it's cool.  But one would think that someone working in a chocolate shop in a tourist area might be a little friendlier.  Au contraire, mon frere.

2.  The Swiss are a very polite, but not necessarily warm and cuddly people.  They're very private.     The Cheese Whiz thinks this is the first time a store owner acted like a complete jerk in his presence.  And she didn't need to.  Most Swiss who don't speak English will, at worst ,just shrug and say "No English," but I haven't generally found the Swiss to be sneerers.

3.  Soul Swisster needs to learn French.  Both so she can communicate in her day to day life, especially in our village where most people will probably not be English speaking.  But certainly to be able to toss out a few choice words at the right moment!

4.  We'll be buying our chocolate elsewhere!