After a late afternoon shower, a sun-filled cloud spills a rainbow onto a golden summit outside of Chamonix.

You are looking at cheese!

In the mountains of the Haute Savoie cattle graze on slopes crowded with jostling wildflowers. Their milk becomes the cheese of the Savoie, in this case Beaufort.

We enjoyed the local cheese, especially Beaufort. It's complex flavors suggest the mountain meadows.  It is best enjoyed with a local wine, a wine that may seem a bit rough to the international markets, but which pairs beautifully with the local cheese.

The Village of Les Proux

The building on the far left is the local cheesemaking cooperative.  Farmers bring their steel canisters of milk here in the back of pick-up trucks.  This facility produces Beaufort cheese.

These facilities are regarded as "inefficient" by the barons of the World Trade Organization who believe that French subsidies to support this agriculture should be eliminated in favor of competition from the multinationals.

You have to give the French Alps their due for sheer rustic charm.

Pas des Ladres, (8031'), the Pass of Thieves is a rugged crossing between France and Italy used to rustle stock or to flee with treasures from one country to the other. The principal travelers in the Pass now are Ibex.

Castle Queyras

That is afternoon fog lying across the distant mountains, but it could as well be the mists of time or the clouded memories of old wars. The Castle Queyras was first constructed, as far as anyone can tell, in 1207. Originally built to defend against the Austrians, the castle survived the many wars that have swept across Europe across the centuries. It eventually became part of the Maginot Line but was disarmed by the German controlled Vichy France in WWII. Now the castle is a monument to the story of WWII with  floor to ceiling banners. 

The French Resistance in WWII demonstrated incredible courage in the face of an overpowering vile and ruthless foe. Millions died in that war, a consequence of the catastrophic misjudgment of Neville Chamberlin who thought he had made a deal with Hitler in Munich. 

Among the banners are familiar pictures of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin sealing their alliance.  Stalin, of course, was a monster; but the evil threat of Hitler was so overwhelming that Churchill and Roosevelt had to deal with this monster. It was a horrible decision, but it was necessary. 

NATO was formed at the end of the war. It is a human institution.  Like other human institutions, it has its own flaws; but it is an institution that has kept the peace among the major powers for 70 years on this otherwise war torn continent. 

During this hike, President Trump, standing next to Vladimir Putin, raised doubts about NATO. As we leave the castle, we are deeply sobered and somehow hope that the world will not forget the lessons that have been learned at such cost.

The Black Madonna of Navache

In the small village of Navache in the ancient church of Saint Marcellin is a rare black madonna. Mary and Jesus are depicted with dark complexions. Both Europe and the U.S. are currently convulsed with attacks on dark skinned immigrants fleeing poverty and war in search of freedom and opportunity.  Yet here in this small village, the residents do not just respect figures of another color; they worship them.  It is a much needed beacon of hope.

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