A Week in New Glarus

As part of our research in preparation of going to Switzerland, we thought we'd take a week off and go to "Little Switzerland" (aka New Glarus, WI). We rented a self-catering farmhouse so that we could take our dog. Although the town itself was a tourist trap, the Swiss Historical Village was a highlight. Among authentic pioneer log cabins (one was discovered inside a modern house that had been built on top of it), one-room school houses and other period buildings, old-timer guides in their 80s told stories from their personal experiences and family histories. Another highlight was the excellent beer from the New Glarus Brewing Company (sold only in Wisconsin, so we brought home a couple of cases). A big disappointment was the local restaurants -- poor quality traditional German cuisine marked up for the tourists. Our own Bayern Stube (in Gibson City, IL) does the same dishes with much more flair and with much better value. But we did discover Landjaeger sausages which we've never had before. Side excursions to Madison and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin filled up the rest of the week. (View photos)