Fountains of Life

Perhaps my favorite thing so far about the Ticino canton of Switzerland is the water. I love the lake, of course, but specifically there's a wonderful treat you discover every time you go out for a family walk, and it is simply that you don't need to bring water bottles with you, because whenever you're just about to get thirsty, a water fountain turns up out of nowhere. The water is cold, fresh, delicious, and with few exceptions, the fountains are always on, so you don' t have to "hope this one works" or pump the handle, wait for the warm water to be displaced by cold, taste the pipes it's going through, or anything like that. The run-off from the Alps is presumably what makes water here in such abundant supply.

And when you think about it, it makes sense that 70% of the earth's surface should be freely available to all people, whose biological organisms are also about 70% water. But I had just moved from a culture where we were getting used to the idea of paying $1.50 for 12 ounces of it, and no matter which "brand" it was, it always tasted like the plastic it was bottled in. So here are some of the fountains we've come across so far -- I'll add more later as I photograph them. As you can see, each one is its own piece of art, and they seem to reflect a great deal of cultural pride.


The modern big block fountain in the Gentilino playground -- great for refreshing after a soccer game in the field nearby.


A retaining wall fountain with a faucet that turns on and off.


A fountain and algae-filled stone bathtub in Valle Verzasca.


A fountain in a rock in a playground in Agra.


A modern fountain in Gentilino.


The Franklin College Fountain, a wall-mounted bubbler just outside the library -- this was a gift from the Senior Class of 2002.


The fountain shaded by trees, in a plaza near the Lugano train station.


Close-up of the deer atop the fountain by the train station. As the Hart pants for water...


Hard to see in this close-up of the fountain, but the water is always running, and behind this one is another fountain exactly like it.



This is Walker in his "swanky" pose by a fountain on via Ponte Tresa as we go out on one of our trademarked "early morning adventures." Just where the boys picked up the word "swanky" is beyond me, as I have never used it in my life.


A close-up of the fountain's detail.





Walker at the fountain near the Percorso Vita in Montagnola. The "Percorso Vita" is the "way of life" path through the woods that has exercise stations all along it, and you can find them in several towns in Ticino. They are an initiative by the insurance companies that serve the dual purpose of maintaining the woodlands while also ensuring the Swiss stay healthy and live longer. Swiss live to an average age of 83, compared to Americans who die at the average age of 74.


Walker, of course, is going to live forever, because he drinks from a fountain that was not made by the hands of men.