So, here is one of our instructors and a founder of our Expressive Arts Therapeutic model. He is the sexiest 75 yr. old I know. Heck, he's one of the sexiest men I know period! The instument is a kotamo - a hybrid of two stringed instruments. One is oriental, the other I will have to ask him about again. Both sides are strung so he just flips it over or reaches under for another sound. The litle bridges you see are moveable rather than stationary frets like a guitar has. He was one of the performers from our poetry and music night. A bit heavy for my taste (Songs of Sky and War) but interesting nonetheless.
As with most places, Saas-Fee and area have their superstitions and legends. There is a "mask" that shows up on many entrances and posts around the town. They are carved into the wood and stand as protection agains evil spirits or at least a harbinger of good luck. I purchased a small carved one with wild and crazy hair as my one souvenir of Saas-Fee. Made in a little valley close by, I'm told. They don't have a particular name, just Mask.

The flower is a silberdistel and is very delicately beautiful. They grow in bunches creating a lovely haze of soft sagey green and mauve.
The buildings here in the foreground are my school classrooms and main hall. As you can see, the view is inspiring. Whenever I get feeling wiped and need a shot of rejuvenatioon, I just go outside and gaze at the mountains for a bit. The half-round one is our main hall where we have lectures and performances. The long rectangular one houses our classrooms. It is quite a hike up there from our hotel and town centre.





These pictures of the town and other buildings were taken from a great bench that I hiked up to yesterday. Doesn't look that high up, but believe me it was enough to get my heart pumping!
Haying here is done by old and new methods. It is cut by machine, then raked by hand with wide wooden rakes that look like they haven't changed in a hundred years. Both men and women do the raking with runners that bring them water when the sun beats down. The hay is then stored in these funny little barns on stilts. Stilts in the mountains, you ask? Not for floods, that's for sure, but for mice. The buildings look ancient. They are squared logs, dovetailed at the corners and raised up about six to eight feet and resting on round cement platforms on top of the footings. Very odd looking, indeed - like some weird space droppings. The hay fields are throughout the townsite in little patches so you never know when your beautiful patch of wildflowers and grasses will end up fodder for the "happy swiss cows".