July 24th: Montreux to Gruyeres / Estavannens

After a week spent flitting from one end of Lec Leman to the other, we were off to the hills.  The introduction was not kind - the first ten kilometres away from the lake was in one direction - up!  

Gob smacking views.

Lec Leman, near Vevey, looks very different from up here,

And here.

Hard at it!

Fantastic ride, despite regular climbing

This yellow sign, advertising a garage sale or the like, soured our day momentarily.  Some clown had erected it in such a way as to completely obscure a Route 9 Lakes Route sign.  We went past, the wrong way, uphill; lost 15 minutes and precious energy.

Where else, but in Bulle of course!

Beware the Glutton!  Note that both characters have a pipe!

The Gluttonator (operator of the Glutton), informed us that this was Belgian invention.

Plateaued!

Gruyeres beckons

Looks like Cradle Mountain behind Gruyeres

Time for a walk.

Old town, Gruyeres

View from Gruyeres

Normal service has been resumed.

Hitch-hiker

The famous product

Yet another wonderful Warmshowers host, Rene and Marilyne of Estavannens

The hosts' son, Zacharie, posing with some his mother's wood sculpture.

What's happening to me? I'm starting to like dogs and children

We bid farewell to the land of the red bonnets.