Salvan
The city center of Salvan (population 1,100) is a small cluster of businesses dominated by the church you see in the background. There are at least three outdoor cafes, always enjoyed by a few people, most of whom looked like locals.
The town is sometimes called "The Cradle of Wireless" because in 1895 Guglielmo Marconi performed the first successful wireless transmissions at various points in and around the village. We went to the small museum dedicated to Marconi and visited several of the places where he set up his instruments.
In all the Swiss towns we visited, water fountain/troughs were a regular feature, usually at least one per "block." They come in a variety of styles, often made of stone, sometimes wood, but always decorated with bright flowers. Here we're standing in front of one near the center of Salvan.
Every day followed a similar pattern: clear and sunny until about 4 pm when gray clouds would roll in, sometimes bringing rain, sometimes not.
A regular feature of houses and outbuilding here is this kind of random slate roof, something I didn't notice in other towns. It's a nice organic look, but I'm not sure how effective and/or durable it is compared to a regular slate shingle. Obviously it's a good use of local materials.
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