After the sober German cemetery and stories of death and war, it was time to eat. We headed to the village of Passchendaele, which was destroyed in early 1917. British soldiers took it because of its location--perched on a modest ridge with a strategic view over the flat lands below. The name literally means "passing the valley;" but the Brits dubbed it "Passiondale"...the valley of suffering. Menin Road connects Ypres to Passchendaele and it was the focus of much warfare.
We were not aware of this sad information when we stopped at this old cheese factory for lunch, now a museum in Passchendaele. As we walked from the bus into the museum, we passed a Churn Organ. Huh? The sign explained that those who collect milk can be heard far away because of the rattling and tinkling of the milk churns. So the sign invited anyone who felt like it to pick up a stick and make the churns ring. I don't think anyone did...but Sam was tempted.
As we entered, we were faced with a world globe made up of cheese cubes. Very clever.
The tables in the little café were pre-set for us--excellent idea for keeping a schedule. Wood cutting boards at each place displayed bread, meat, Passiondale cheese (of course!), sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and lettuce. Very efficient and we also got a sweet apple.
Everything was delicious and the open and bright windows made it warm, friendly, and even more enjoyable. There was no time for us to tour the museum because now we were on our way to the Tyne Cot Cemetery.
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