Vosa di Dentro

2011-11-24T10:13:00.001+01:00

Last week Michael and I escaped the quickly approaching winter cold by taking a trip to Ticino- the southern most canton of Switzerland. Ticino is on the other side of the Alps, right next to Italy, and infact, the people in this part of Switzerland speak Italian. This time of year, its only a couple degrees (celsius) warmer, but full of sunshine, unlike the mittelland where fall is characterized by dense seas of fog.

To get to where we would be staying in Vosa, we first took a 4 hour train that went through the mountains and into... Italy!

Then another train east, back into Switzerland- Ticino, with sunshine, and a view of the mountains the whole time.

Once in the city of Locarno, which lies in a valley between two mountains, we took a bus up the side of one of the mountains...

Then a cable car to the other mountain, because this side of the valley doesn't have any roads...

THEN after a 20 minute hike on this side of the mountain, we arrive at last in Vosa di Dentro.

Vosa di Dentro is a wellness center of sorts, created by two men- Peter, a cook, and Johannes, a gardener, at the age of 20 with the vision of making a place that is so beautiful that it heals from the inside. 30 years later, that is exactly what this place does for the criminal youth that are sent here for a time out and a chance to turn their lives around. What we found here was a beautiful, self-sustainaing oasis made with a lot of love and care, and filled with symbols of spirituality and creativity that radiate peace and healing from every little nook & cranny.

"Versuche nicht mich zu führen, es könnte sein, dass ich nicht folge.

Laufe mir nicht hinterher, es könnte sein, dass ich nicht führe.

Geh neben mir und sei mein Freund."

***

"Do not try to lead me, it could be that I don't follow.

Do not try to follow me, it could be that I don't lead.

Walk beside me and be my friend."

At Katharina's

2011-11-23T20:38:00.001+01:00

An activity Michael and I find ourselves doing every now and then on free days is helping Katharina (Michael's mom) out with her garden. Here are some photos from earlier this season of Katharina's beautiful home & garden.

On the way to Katharina's

In her garden

In her studio

And the view outside

Greüzi!

2011-11-23T12:06:00.001+01:00

Greetings from Switzerland! Here are a few photos to get you up to speed on my time here so far.

I've been staying with Michael in his squat in the city of Biel. Here're some of the fellow squatters, during a yard sale outside the houses.

But my favorite thing to do in Biel is to just chill :)

Not 100% Wrong

Vosa di Dentro

At Katharina's

Greüzi!