Our native guide this month is
URS CAVELTI, paintbrush and
poetic installation artist, as well as
longtime friend of Roger Furrer,
Art Director and one of the
rare rhaeto-romanic speaking
people. Together we present you our Swiss Winter           Wonderland favorites.

     Shot december 08 in BASEL at BIRSECKERHOF.

... Happy New Year 2009 in rhaeto-romanic, a language spoken
only in eastern mountain valleys in the Grisons region of Switzerland.
This is where my friend and artist URS CAVELTI originates from.
COME WITH US TO THE SOURCE OF THE RHINE RIVER!

     RUINAULTA, the swiss grand canyon, in the region of Surselva, is a
breathtaking spot to enjoy!
     Feel like a bird on the suspended outdoor deck “HAWK SWALLOW”, 400 metres (1312 feet) above the
canyon in Conn, and enjoy incredibly
spectacular vistas...
     After that thrill, make a stop at the
nearby restaurant LAS CAGLIAS, built
by the native architect Rudolf Olgiati,
who was inspired both by local traditions and the Modernism
movement such as Le Corbusier. On your way home stop
at the outlandish “DAS GELBE HAUS” – “The yellow House” (pictured) in Flims. A converted
village-home by Rudolf’s son Valerio
Olgiati, which now functions as an
exhibition space.
     The village of SAGOGN, with its
600 habitants, is situated on a
little plain just above the rhine river
canyon. This is the birth place of
URS CAVELTI. The main attraction is a small baroque church
with a splendid interior. For regional specialities enjoy some
“FrauMannsKost” at STIVA GRISCHUNA.

     Beinvegni in SEDRUN, the birthplace of the rhine river.
Having spent the last New Years Eve in this untouched and
super-cozy village, I can recommend this for a winter-break.
In the summertime you can hike to Lai da Tuma, the rhine-
spring-lake, and in winter you can ski the mountains as high up
as 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) above sea level. I guess
size does matter...
     And to relax your body and soul after a day up
and down “Recreaziun” – recovery is the word at the
AQUA WELLNESS OASIS from Bogn Sedrun.

     L’uolp era puspei inagada fomentada. Cheu ha ella viu
sin in pegn in tgaper che teneva in toc caschiel en siu
bec. Quei gustass a mi, ha ella tertgau, ed ha clamau al
tgaper: „Tgei bi che ti eis! Sche tiu cant ei aschi
bials sco tia cumparsa, lu eis ti il pli bi utschi da tuts“.
     Der Fuchs war wieder einmal hungrig. Da sah er auf einer
Tanne einen Raben, der ein Stück Käse in seinem Schnabel
hielt. Das würde mir schmecken, dachte er, und rief dem
Raben zu: „Wie schön du bist! Wenn dein Gesang ebenso
schön ist wie dein Aussehen, dann bist du der schönste
von allen Vögeln“.

COMMENTS?
We’d love to hear from you! Please send any questions or comments about this newsletter to SecretDiary@studiofurrer.ch