I enjoy the views from the train on the ride to Switzerland, despite the cloudy weather.
I have forgotten the charm of the villages nestled under the steep mountainsides.
I am met by Fausto Rotanzi and his wife Romana, who take me on a visit to the Piano di Peccia to see the damage wrought by the recent storms and flooding at the end of June. This enormous boulder looks precarious overhanging the road.
The extensive damage has overflowed the riverbed with stones from the mountains above.
Now the communities are cleaning up the mess.
The storm caused bridges to break, cutting off the high valley from the towns below. The intense power of the water took farm equipment and autos with it. Several people died. A cow was found in the river at Locarno at the base of the valley. It will take much time and money to restore the area, but the residents are determined to recover.
The next day the Rotanzis took me to Bosco Gurin, a tiny German-speaking village settled by Walser people in 1253. It’s way up in the mountains, the highest village in Ticino. This row of animal stalls was built in one piece to withstand the deluge of snow from the mountains above.
The architecture of the traditional houses in Bosco Gurin differs from the rest of the Vallemaggia. The foundation is built using stones that are called “mushrooms.” The top of the mushroom blocks rats and other animals from getting up into the grain storage and the house.
The stonemasons of the area are masterful. These stones on the roofs are placed to help block the snow from falling off the roof and hurting those beneath.
Bosco Gurin’s unique Swiss-German dialect Ggurijnartitsch appears on signs throughout the village.
Church bells ring at noon while we walk through the village.
In a town called Prato-Sornico, Romana shows me the chains at the Hall of Justice which were used to punish offenders. The accused were kept in these chains for days.
Next we visit the workshop of the artist Francois Lanfranca, who makes paper, then prints his own works and those of other well-known artists. His workshop is located in an old paper mill on the edge of a rushing river.
I am overcome by the beauty of the site and the sound of the cascading water.
Francois gives generously of his time to show us his work and his very spacious and interesting workshop.
Francois has collected a wide assortment of moulds and deckles.
Over the years, Francois has also collected antique printing presses and related equipment.
He shows us some of the photographs that he has printed on his handmade paper. He uses a special technique that enables the photograph to merge with the paper rather than rest on top. I tried to understand that process, but the description of the technique in Italian was too much for me.
After our very interesting day, I return to Bignasco, where I am staying. I take a short walk to Bignasco’s waterfall, sorry that it is too late in the day to enjoy a dip in its waters.
I walk back to the village across the medieval arched stone bridge.
The enormous stone slab sides of the bridge are held together with metal bands.
I decide on pizza at a local hangout. These guys, late in life, likely spend many hours at these stone tables playing cards.
Tomorrow I give a presentation on my book Miners, Milkers & Merchants, which has been translated into Italian: Minatori, Mungitori & Mercanti. I am nervous and excited.