Chocolate is something that many people enjoy receiving as a gift. However, I’ve found that chocolate rarely makes it back to the people who might have liked it. This is because I can’t stop thinking about the delicious chocolate bars sitting in my suitcase, and I really can’t resist them. It’s almost a relief when I’ve eaten them. Then I can think about something else to take back as a gift.
When I was in Switzerland, I found that it was a perfect place to buy chocolate bars. And I discovered a way to (almost) satisfy my sweet tooth without spending too much money. In small grocery stores away from the tourist shops, there were chocolate bars without the name brand labels that sold for around fifty cents. I wasn’t sure if they’d be as good as the well-known brands, so I bought several of them to eat as an “experiment”. To my surprise and delight, they were delicious!
After that I looked for these little shops while I was in Switzerland. It got to the point that when I saw cows with bells on their collars grazing on the hills, I thought that their milk would go into making chocolate. Although I kept wondering if I’d get tired of so much candy, I knew that was never going to happen…
So as I said, chocolate is a delightful treat that people like. And I will try somehow not to eat all of it myself so it can actually be given as a gift.
I also love chocolate. It would be hard to resist the gifts for others!
It’s true. Chocolate just doesn’t last very long around me, let alone as a gift!
Yayyyy, a fellow chocoholic!! When I was a kid my mother used to drive me crazy because she would buy a chocolate bar, eat one piece, and put the rest in the fridge. How ridiculous is that? Great photos by the way!
Thanks, and I do love chocolate! I “try” to save some for later, but somehow it always disappears … :)
I love the way your mind works, “…I bought several of them to eat as an “experiment.”
Thanks Laurie. I thought I’d be scientific about it. And it worked!
I love the top photo and I love chocolate–dark chocolate.
Now that sounds really delicious :)
I would have been in the same situation. I think we have to be totally responsible and taste everything before giving. Maybe two or three times just to make sure :) :) Great photos as always!
I agree with you. It’s absolutely necessary to sample the chocolate to be responsible gift givers! And thank you :)
I love Switzerland! I went to Lucerne two years ago :) their chocolates are amazing!!
You’re right. Switzerland is a wonderful place to visit, and sampling the delicious chocolate is another reason to go!
Hi,
Oh yes chocolate, I’m a chocoholic from way back, I love my chocolate, like you I would of had to taste it just to make sure it was AOK. :D
Love the photos, the scenery is magnificent.
It’s beautiful there! I thought that munching on chocolate while admiring the scenery was an unbeatable combination :)
I love chocolates, find them hard to resist; so on occasion, I will buy a bar and eat to my heart’s content. Do not dare keep them anywhere near me otherwise, lol!
I hoped that I could resist eating so much chocolate. Maybe in the future I’ll only eat one chocolate bar (I doubt that will ever happen)…!
I am very good at resisting chocolate…as long as it isn’t within arm’s length! We have a local chain of stores–Cost Plus–very convenient for purchasing imported chocolates at a very reasonable price. Dangerous! :-) Debra
That’s pretty much an irresistible combination: imported chocolate at a reasonable price. It sounds like my kind of shop!
It is quite a great stop…You have me thinking I really need to get by there soon!
Sounds like a great idea! And maybe take pictures while you’re there for the rest of us… :)
When in Switzerland – eat chocolate. Isn’t that what people go for?
That’s a good point. Eating chocolate is an important part of the visit!
What beautiful clouds and mist shrouding the mountains! You too, huh? With the chocolate? It just eats away at my good intentions until I have to have a nibble, then more. :)
Good point! Is it possible to admire the beauty of Switzerland and eat chocolate at the same time? I say definitely!
Swiss chocolate. You are a wonderful traveler and gift giver. But you’re right….I’ve spent big bucks on chocolate that tasted really bad (strange?) And that’s a great disappointment. So…it’s wise that you sampled it before making large investments.
I think we agree on this: sampling chocolate before giving it as a gift is a must!
Yay for chocolate! I am pleased that your chocolate *experiment* yielded some bars of chocolate by lesser know brands at bargain prices that compared well with the bigger chocolate brands.
It was great! I ended up with a lot more chocolate for less money. Of course that meant I ate that much more, too… :)
I love your post! This is the way to travel: sample the chocolate first! Love it!!
I also love to shop the grocery stores for gifts when I’m overseas. There are lots of low priced goodies there for gifts! (especially ones in sealed jars I can’t get into!) Your photos are so beautiful too. I love the wildflowers, clouds, lakes and mountains.
Thanks Judy! I thought that Switzerland was so beautiful. Having delicious chocolate to sample and (maybe) take home made my visit even more wonderful! I did find soaps at the grocery stores too, and those did make it safely home… :)
Swiss chocolate is amazing… Your photographs too… Thank you dear Meg, with my love, Have a nice week, nia
Thank you! You’re so right about Swiss chocolate. And I hope you have a good week, too!
Whenever I travel it is the local grocery stores that I hit first. I like to peruse the aisles looking for treats that represent the local palate and not the tourist palate. Your chocolate find sound great.
That’s a really good point about going to local stores! I’ve found things like greeting cards, calendars, and soap as well as treats like chocolate and cookies. And the prices are reasonable, too… :)
Swiss chocolate has a way of melting in the mouth with delightful texture and taste. Love the scenery.
You describe Swiss chocolate very well! I might have to go back to enjoy the scenery as well as the chocolate… :)
Yum…chocolate…Truffles are my downfall. And I could eat an entire box of Neuhaus Belgian chocolates.
That sounds like a reasonable thing to do! It is very important to enjoy chocolate as much as possible… :)
Hahaha this is a funny post; actually reminded me of when I went chocolate shopping for “souvenirs” in Belgium… It got really warm all of a sudden so I ate most of them! My justification? – they were going to melt in my backpack anyway! Lol
I think you made a good decision-you can’t let good chocolate go the waste! I would have done the same thing… :)
Are you kidding? I am forever buying chocolate as souvenirs, but I’m the only person I’m really certain is going to get any fun out of the production. I try not to have any unrealistic plans in any other direction, because chocolate just Happens! ;) Especially good European chocolate!
There’s just something about chocolate… It simply “disappears” before it can be given as a gift!
What a great idea, selling off label-less bars for a cheaper price. Did you actually know what sort of chocolate you were buying or was it all a mystery?
I knew what variety I was getting (dark chocolate, almond or hazelnut, etc.) but not who the manufacturer was. But it was all delicious to me!
What an interesting way to buy chocolate!
It was a highlight of my trip (along with the beautiful scenery)!
I can well imagine, it would be for me, too.
The only thing better would be eating chocolate and sightseeing at the same time… :)
That would be perfect! :)
I’d love to go to Switzerland…and I too would look forward to eating chocolate there…good to have your visit and “like”. My Best…
I really enjoyed visiting your blog! And Switzerland is a beautiful place to visit, not to mention all that chocolate… :)
They do say, never give a gift you wouldn’t want to get yourself. Of course, sometimes it’s best to double up, so you have something left to give if you like the gift too much. I’m with you on the joys of giving (and eating) chocolate. It’s hard to save back when that little voice in your head keeps whispering … yum! :)
That’s my new favorite saying! And in my case it would be better for people not to expect chocolate. Maybe someday I’ll get tired of chocolate…or not :)
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Lugano seems to be a pretty place!
I have to agree with you. There’s just something about chocolate!
Hi, I followed you over here from Debra’s blog!
I love chocolate, who doesn’t? The Swiss do it right! You have a great blog, Ill be exploring more. :)
Thanks Jennifer! I’ve really been enjoying your blog, too! And chocolate is one of my all-time favorites, especially if it’s from Switzerland… :)
I believe chocolate should be a required food group!
I feel the same way – many servings of chocolate every day would be reasonable!