Price:
Nine Mile Canyon, also known as the “world’s longest art gallery”, is
actually a 40+ mile canyon featuring pictographs and petroglyphs of the ancient
native Americans from the Fremont era (about 400 CE to about 1400 CE).
Many of the images depict hunting scenes and animal life such as bison,
sheep and birds.
Orem:
“Roots of Knowledge” at Utah
Valley University is comprised of 80 stained glass windowpanes, spanning 10
feet in height and 200 feet in length.
The first panel depicts the intertwining roots of the Tree of Life and
the Tree of Knowledge with the beginning of life on earth:
The panorama unfolds as the tree roots follow the windows to represent
experiences and discoveries spanning centuries, continents and cultures.
Two of my favorite panels are:
“Rebirth and Ingenuity”: This panel portrays the Renaissance, i.e.
through artistic geniuses such as Filippo Brunelleschi, Leonardo da Vinci and
Albrecht Dürer. The Reformation is illustrated through the
figures of Gutenberg, Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli. And the New World was discovered in the West
by explorers.
“Upon the Shoulder of Giants”:
This panel illustrates the 17th century, a time of bloody
conflict and monumental revelation. See
if you can find representations of Galileo, Isaac Newton, Pocahontas and Miguel
de Cervantes!
The last panel comes full circle.
The branches of the Trees of Knowledge and Life now connect to the Tree
of Hope for Humanity – depicted as a hand gripping a torch which symbolizes the
transfer of this knowledge to future generations.
This is a beautiful work of art and we could have spent all day
studying the intricate details of each window pane!
Salt Lake City:
Welcome to Salt Lake City!
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| Eagle Gate |
Salt Lake City is not only the state capital, but the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints (LDS). At the center of the city is the LDS Temple and Temple Square.
We made our plans specifically to attend the last rehearsal of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir that was to be held in the Tabernacle. (In the summer they move rehearsals to the
Conference Center Auditorium). What a
treat to hear the choir, the full orchestra and the wonderful organ!
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| Tabernacle |
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| Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra |
We also attended an organ recital in the Tabernacle to hear more from this magnificent instrument!
Next door to the Tabernacle is the Assembly Hall. We attended a concert by a barbershop quartet
one evening to better experience this beautiful hall.
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| Assembly Hall |
The LDS Conference Center is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints as it sits 21,000 people! And this organ is absolutely glorious:
The Mormons are known for maintaining thorough genealogical
records. So we visited the Family
History Library in Temple Square to look up some of our own family
history. Wow – look at all of the
microfilm!
“This is the Place” Monument is named in honor of Brigham Young’s
famous statement in 1847 that the Mormon pioneers should settle in the Salt
Lake Valley. This monument also honors
the explorers and settlers of the American West.
What great views of the city:
And we enjoyed watching this black billed magpie!
One day we headed out to see the Great Salt Lake which is the largest
inland body of salt water in the Western Hemisphere. We drove over a causeway to Antelope Island
for better views of the Lake:
Here is one of several painted ceramic bison we saw on the island (like our Houston
“Cow Parade”):
We saw live bison, too!
We happened on to a Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival and had lots of fun listening to country music and eating Indian Fry Bread and kettle corn!
We happened on to a Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival and had lots of fun listening to country music and eating Indian Fry Bread and kettle corn!
As we head to the Black Hills of South Dakota, Penelope and Wendy will entertain you in the next blog with their own adventures!