Downtown Salt Lake City !

Its 630PM here and as I type, we have strong winds and light rain but dark skies that indicate heavier rain is coming.  It is also noticeably cooler than this afternoon.   So, knowing that the next two days have a chance of rain, we decided today we would take in downtown SLC and then head out of town tomorrow and Friday.  First up, the Capital Building.

STATE CAPITAL BUILDING
Sitting atop a hill overlooking downtown SLC, you cannot help but notice the Capital Building and its very striking pewter dome.  We just had to get a closer look and we were glad we did.  Take a look !

The view of downtown from the steps of the State Capital Building !

Interior of the dome. 

On the basement level we found a replica of the Liberty Bell !  Very Cool !

TEMPLE SQUARE

We are going to take advantage of seeing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsals, which are open to the public Thursday nights from 8-930.  Today we decided to look around Temple Square, which is where the Church of Latter Day Saints Temple, Tabernacle, Conference Center, Library and other buildings are located.  We were offered a guided tour and that turned out to be just wonderful.  Two girls (called Sisters who are on missionary assignments from Sweden and Norway) were our guides and they took us all around.  It is just beautiful and the landscaped grounds are breathtaking.  Have a look:

Our tour guides!

The Temple where weddings, baptisms and other rites are performed.  We learned that there is no specific church on the Temple Square.  Rather services are held at a slew of LDS churches around the city. 

This was taken inside the Tabernacle, and that stage behind us is where the choir performs.  The organ is massive, with over 11,000 pipes in the organ and the acoustics are so good you can hear a pin drop from anywhere in the building.  The choir and orchestra do not need to use microphones ! 

This is a statue that is just breathtaking and it is in a rotunda area with a sky mural around it. 

This is the conference center auditorium with 22,000 seating capacity.  Twice a year, prophets speak from this stage and it is broadcast around the world.  This organ is also massive with 7,000 pipes.

We didn't quite know what to expect but we really did enjoy our tour of Temple Square. 

DOUBLE DECKER WALMART !

The downtown Wal-Mart is attached to a double deck parking lot and we were just amazed to learn how they get their grocery carts to the second level.....check this out ! 

The carts go up one escalator and the people go up along side them on another !

Well, that was our day !  Hope yours was fabulous too !  xxoo TML