Still on food but back to pre-Alp Switzerland and what to do besides skiing, hiking or mountain climbing.

After a night spent in Charmey sleeping to the sound of cow bells in the pasture behind the hotel, the drive to Fribourg is a treat. Cats out hunting in dewy pastures the shade of golf course greens, apples ripening on the trees and firewood  stacked neatly for winter.

We arrived at the Sarine River which winds through the medieval town and its modern city and walked across the flat bridge to the 13th-14th century lower town at the end of the peninsula. 

Warning: This may be the last flat thing in Fribourg. We're getting closer to the Alps and changes in elevation, not to mention cobblestone streets abound. It won't be hard to take your time because there's much to see and photograph as you make your way up to the level before the next hill.

There was a flea market in the lower square and, on this the last day of the annual medieval festival, costumed children and adults frolicking down the hill as we walked up. This was and is a university town and was an important stop for pilgrims on the way to San Juan de Compostela in Spain. Look for the directional sign on the wall to the left.

As the hill levels the market square begins; venders of flowers, artisanal cheeses, chocolates, freshly picked mushrooms and colorful vegetables line the pedestrian way.

Just when you think you can't climb another step an even higher hill - many of us would call it a mountain - looms.

Tip: Thankfully, there's a funicular powered entirely by water (!) that takes you to the top.

If you can't linger overnight in Fribourg, as we wanted to but couldn't, give your feet a rest, have a light lunch and drive on to Gruyeres 

Tip: To sound like a native, remember it's le Gruyer for the cheese, Gruyeres for the city and la Gruyere for the region

No doubt, this is cheese country with at least one cow for every resident in the region. Necessary because it takes 400 litres of milk to produce one kilo of cheese.

By all means take in a cheese factory to see how Gruyer and Vacherin Fribourgeois are produced. Do sample, but save yourself for dinner - fondue and raclette, of course, the local specialties.

Tip: Always utilize horse-pulled wagons and miniature train trolleys when offered. It's really hilly here.

It's a hike but do tour up through Gruyeres and its castle. There's good window shopping en route so it's easy to pace yourself. 

The count didn't need a castle - he had no enemies - but all the other counts had one so in 1250 he built his. The family was cultured; arrtists and musicians were frequent long-term visitors. There are Corot paintings on the wall and Franz Liszt left his piano to them. Half of the hotel has been turned into a museum of fantasy art.

To the delight of visitors - this is as touristy as Fribourg is not - costumed Alpenhorn players and flag tossers regularly demonstrate their talents during the day in the courtyard outside the castle.

As you leave the castle, to the left is the H. R. Giger Gallery - not for the faint of heart and only if you are into surrealistic sadism - and to the right is a cafe based on the Alien of film fame. Giger is the artist who won as Oscar for the original's special effects. Go inside and you'll feel like you are inside one.  

There are many charming restaurants for dinner but I know Hostellerie St.-Georges serves a memorable raclette. 

From here you can close the circle with a stop in Lausanne and the shores of Lake Geneva or go on to the real Alps. Even in St. Moritz there are level spots!

No one leaves Charleston hungry. It is a must-visit for foodies not to mention historians, hospitality seekers and architecture buffs.

Chefs here preserve the integrity of the area's wonderful low country cuisine while infusing global touches on local foods. From raising their own veggies and pigs, treating them to the occasional slurp of chocolate milk, to creating a club for patrons of their home made charcuterie, a nearby and personal farm to plate connection is emphasized.

Tip: Don't miss the grits or tomato pie at Dixie Supply Company. Rachel Ray rightfully raves over the sweet potato pancakes at Joseph's.

 Not surprisingly, Culinary tours are popular. On Fridays, some tours include a chef's tour through his kitchen. Culinary Tours of Charleston can set you up with a variety of choices but be warned, these are walking tours.

Warning: Charleston is flat but nothing is level. You have to watch your step here because much of the city has been built on fill and over the centuries, a good bit of settling occurred. It still is, so stop when you spot something worth a look.

You will find much to linger over which is good because in the summer, Charleston is hot and no one in their right mind moves far fast. 

Tip: Wander the residential areas in the early morning or late afternoon when the heat's down.

The days are long gone when an open garden gate meant you were welcome to go in and look around but stop and peek through those closed wrought iron gates. You can get a hint of the marvelous gardens beyond. When it's hotter than the latest new uber chef, go from one air conditioned store to another or give up, retire to your hotel and take a nap.

Charleston is a city you need to walk and most can handle it if headquartered in a well-located hotel. Just remember to make frequent stops on a shady bench.

There are no hop-on, hop-off vehicles circulating around the peninsula but you can't walk a block without seeing a tour group going by on foot, in a horse and wagon, a van or small bus. I'd recommend starting with a horse-drawn tour. The pace is slow enough to peek behind the fences and you can make note of where you'd like to return for a longer look.

Tip: The concierge at The Mills House recommends Charleston Tours and Touring Charleston.

To cool off, tea is the beverage of choice. Traditionally served sweet it can be cloyingly so. The alternative is to order a half-and-half, half sweet, half unsweetened.

The coolest new adult beverage for hot weather is Firefly sweet tea infused vodka with a splash of lemonade. It's fast becoming a local tradition.

Definitely visit Charleston, the city where Southern hospitality was born.

Most of us think of Switzerland as a country for hiking, mountain climbing and skiing, but few if any associate it with commuting by boat. Yet that is exactly what we did, traveling from Neuchatel to Murten/Morat along the Canal de la Broye.

In the process we arrived in the Fribourg region, the pre-Alps. The Navigation Company runs  regular service in the Three Lakes area and is a perfect vehicle for levelers. Seats on deck or inside are comfortable and the boat's slow speed makes photography a joy. You'll pass bicyclists and walkers going along the lakeside paths, swans cruising by, cornfields, vineyards sloping up from the lake and other picturesque, camera-worthy sights.

 Tip: You can get off at a stop, look around and pick up the next boat that comes along.

We did just that, stopping for lunch in the shady garden of the Hotel de l'Ours in Sugiez. With Mont-Vully at our backs, the Broye River in front of us, we feasted on local perch fillets and local wine before ambling along the "Wine Path" and having a tasting at one of the country's smallest vineyards.

Refreshed, we boarded another boat and continued to the town with a split personality. For 400 years it was shared by two cantons, one French, one German, thus the two names. Murten is the one most people use.

Two wedding receptions aboard separate barges were in full swing when our boat arrived, a festive welcome.

Warning: You'll do some walking here, but it's worth the effort, especially the  climb atop the walled city's battlements.

At one time a retirement area for Roman soldiers, Morat/Murten became a stop on the roadway between north and south Europe, making it strategically important.

Atop the walls you can picture the awesome forces of the undefeated Charles the Bold who camped outside the city and boasted, "I will have Murten for breakfast and Lausanne for lunch."

So valiantly was the undermanned city defended, he failed. 

You won't fail to live and eat well here; the cows are milked at 5 p.m. and by 5:55 the milk arrives at the town's gruyere -making plant. 

Tip: Take time for a beverage at the Cafe Bern Tor (road to Bern) next to the city gate. Its owner is tasked with tending and cranking the huge clock each day.

We're still in Pays de Neuchatel and I suggest a great, full day side trip up to La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Trains leave Neuchatel hourly for the 30-minute-long trip, but it's better by car. There's a great view around every turn and some truly grand overlooks where you'll want to stop and grab the camera.

Tip: A car will help keep your walking and climbing to a minimum.

 The town, where Switzerland's watch-making reputation was solidified, burned to the ground in the 18th century. Instead of recreating age, the city fathers looked ahead with modern architecture. The standout is "Villa Turque" (Turkish house) by Le Corbusier which now serves as the public relations center for the fine watchmaker Ebel.

The International Watchmaking Museum (Musee International d'Horlogerie) is a must see even if you think viewing over 4,000 examples of time keeping sounds as dull as I did. Trust me, it's fascinating.

Hit the road in time to have a lunch of delicious trout at Les Rives du Doubs, then take the mini-cruise on the Lake of Les Brenets. Deep gorges, serene surroundings and at the end, the Saut-du-Doubs waterfall.

Tip: It takes a bit of walking to get to the waterfall but the grade is gentle and the surface is pretty good. Give it a go. 

Examine the fine arts of sparkling wines and watch making on an easy side trip from Neuchatel to Motiers and Fleurier. While you are driving through mountainous landscapes, the roads are broad, good and well marked.

Mauler Cellars in Motiers is a good introduction to the little-known Swiss expertise in wine culture. You won't see much Swiss wine in the states because what the Swiss don't drink themselves is snapped up by the French who are a mere 15 kilometers away and know a good deal when they taste it.

The family operation has been centered in Le Prieure St.-Pierre, an 11th century priory (Rousseau once lived in it), since 1829 and tours and tastings are available.

Warning: Cobblestones in the courtyard and stairs on the tour.

Next, head to the lovely little town of Fleurier, once the center of fine watchmaking and now coming back thanks to the presence of Atalier Parmigiani.

Little did the puritanical John Calvin realize when he banned the wearing of jewelry in the 16th century what an industry he would create. Jewelers turned from rings and necklaces to the unfrivolous keeping of time via watches. Winters are long here and craftsmen isolated in nooks and crannies of the Jura mountains had time to devote to the necessary tedious details. Thus this area of Neuchatel is known now as the Watch Valley.

You've probably never heard of Parmigiani watches. They aren't cheap ($8,000-$750,000) but they are beautiful and created with amazing intricacy and care.

The company welcomes opportunities to show off its precision as it is one of the few companies still making all parts of the watches themselves.  With axles thinner than a human hair, it takes more than two months to finish a single watch; 300 hours for assembling.

You will develop a newfound appreciation for fine craftsmanship here and you might become a bit of a watch snob. When you find yourself checking out the wrists of passersby, you'll know you've been infected. Warning: Walking by the many jewelry stores here can be hazardous to your American Express card.

Next posting: More side trips.