Price City to Salt Lake City, Utah

We went our separate ways, with Bob, Thelma, Dee Anne and Kenny taking a circuitous route to Salt Lake City that incorporated a wild outback road through a place called Nine Mile Canyon. We, on the other hand, took the more direct route to Salt Lake City, but first we stopped at City Hall for Wendy to look at a large mural in the city chambers.

The mural consisted of farming, mining and local community scenes and covered all four walls of the chamber.

 

We left Price City at 10.30am to drive about 120 miles to Salt Lake City. Kenny had made the hotel booking for us all at the Peery Hotel, an old hotel in the centre of downtown.

As we headed north on a very good road, we made the decision to take a track shown on my Garmin, that would take us across the mountains to Highway 40 and then on to Salt Lake City.

The track took us across the railway line that we had been following for many miles.

We then drove along a winding track through several streams until we came to a crossing where the stream had eroded the far bank and I made the decision to turn back. It was too risky to attempt it as, if we got stuck, there was no one around to pull us out. We were in the middle of true wilderness.

 

 

So, reluctantly, we backed up, turned round and drove the few miles back to the main road.

The drive to Salt Lake City took us about a further ninety minutes and we arrived at the hotel at about 1pm.

We checked in and had a snack lunch in the bar of the hotel. We then walked a couple of blocks to Temple Square, the site of the headquarters of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Temple Square is immaculately kept with beautiful flower borders and gardens.

The buildings are all pristine, though rather stark in appearance.

We went into the Assembly Hall and then into the Tabernacle, where an organist was practising. This evening we will be returning there to listen to the world-famous Tabernacle Choir rehearse.  Wendy will be able to sing with them at the end of the session!

 The Assembly Hall

Inside the Tabernacle with its golden organ.

Inside the Assembly Hall, another golden organ.

From the Tabernacle we went to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, which was formerly the Utah Hotel. It had a magnificent foyer with a large white marble statue of Joseph Smith.

 

We went up to the 10th floor and had wonderful views of the city and down on to Temple Square. Here is the Temple and, beyond, the silver roof of the Tabernacle.

Finally, we looked at the Lion House, where Brigham Young lived and died, and also the Beehive House, his office.

 

Brigham Young became leader of the Church after Joseph Smith was murdered in Iowa. Young then led his followers across the States and settled in Utah. He became Utah's first regional governor.

We left Temple Square and walked back to our hotel, On the way, we called Kenny and learned that Bob had had a flat tyre on the back roads they had used and so wouldn't arrive in the city before 5pm.

This is being posted at 11.15pm after a very enjoyable evening. First of all, Wendy didn't manage to sing with the Tabernacle Choir, but we had the next best thing - an hour and a half of beautiful choral rehearsals. It was a great evening of music and free as well!!

I thought this photo Wendy took is pretty incredible, as it looks like the choir is singing outside when, in fact, the rehearsals were held inside the Tabernacle auditorium.

A close-up of the cellists in the orchestra.

After the rehearsals finished at 9.30pm, we walked back to the hotel and went for a light meal at a gastropub next door. There was a live group playing and we both 'rocked the evening away'. Great fun and an evening to remember in Salt Lake City.