When i was in high school we would go to this terrible hotel sometimes, get a room, and then just hang out in it all night and party. I got to Salt Lake after a kinda long drive from Great Basin and it was getting late. I've never done anything in Salt Lake except leave the airport. I stopped at a hotel that was part of a chain near the highway and got a room thinking it was an ideal place to quickly get to the airport in the morning. I should have thought twice when i saw all the people in the parking lot, but boy was i shocked when i got in the room. It was remarkably undesirable inside. Even repulsive. What was harder for me to get used to was the fact that, apparently in high school i was completely at home in such a place, thinking nothing of lying on the filthy floor to listen to music or pass out. Even writing this is uncomfortable so i'm moving on.... It was yucky and i stayed in it due to time and energy levels.
Anyway, my vacation had been so good up to this point that i had completely lost track of time. I called Maree to let her know i'd made it back from the wilds safely and would need to be picked up from the airport tomorrow. She didn't know what i was talking about because i wasn't supposed to be back for another two days. DANG. I forgot what day it was while i was out of Internet and cell phone reception and not watching TV. I drove all day just to get to Salt Lake a whole day EARLY. I could have stayed another day in Great Basin. DANG. Another embarrassing moment.
I think this was part of the convention center built for the 2002 Olympics.
No big deal, i'd find something to do. I spent the next morning finding a WAAY better hotel. In fact, i almost got a room at the Hilton just to erase the trauma. But then i found the Shilo Inn for half the price and only a little less quality.
I went to Park City. I've always heard rave reviews of Park City, about 1/2 an hour away from Salt Lake. It was a big let down. Nothing to do there but shop and the surrounding mountains are more like large rounded hills. It probably is more pleasant in winter when you have a large selection of slopes and lodges to ski at.
Chihuli glasswork at the art museum. I should have gone in when it was open.
I was impressed however, with Temple Square. The "Vatican" of the Mormon religion, Temple Square completely dominates downtown Salt Lake City. There are more than 5 large city blocks that are devoted entirely to the Mormon religion. Museums, conference center, headquarters, tabernacles, libraries, public areas.... you can wander around for quite some time. It's pretty, and water seems to play a central role in the design, seemingly flowing for blocks from the original stream valley that the Mormons followed into the basin, down man made streams along the sidewalk, over walls, down little canals, and out of fountains into pools. As a whole it's a stunning achievement and definitely gives off the impression being a major force in the world. Seriously, i haven't seen anything like it in any other city outside of our countries capital. It's that big, and it's that kind of investment. Even all the new building that came to the city with the 2002 Winter Olympics pales in comparison.
Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build and was started in 1853.
That evening i went back out to take some pictures. In Alaska night time is associated with being cold. If it's not cold, it's not night time. During our springs, it takes weeks of the sun shining until 9 or 10 pm to melt the snow. By the time we have green grass it stays light until late at night. In September darkness returns, as does Fall, and bad weather. There is only a very short time frame when you can go out at night and see green grass before the temperature drops below freezing at night. It usually rains during that time.
So the possibility of being outside, in the dark, with green vegetation and warm temperatures has become so rare for me that it's almost some kind of surreal experience. I have very few nighttime pictures from Alaska, which is too bad because i have a lot of fun making them. I really enjoy being outside at night and not freezing or slipping.
One of many fountains at Temple Square.
Utah has the youngest average age of any State, and downtown it was obvious. There are young people with children everywhere, and well dressed. Even at night around 10pm, when i took the church photo, there were tons of people hanging out talking and loving on each other, or even praying. Eventually though my luck ran out and it started to rain, so i called it quits.
Walking down the street with the shutter open. That giant red blur is my hotel. It's very ugly at night but i think this picture proves that no matter how drunk you get you will always be able to find it. I think i'll submit it to the Drunk Google Earth Project. They have that, right?
