Salt Lake City - Day 6

Tuesday, July 28th

Today my plan was to get up earlier to be ready for SLC Epal. I was guessing that since we didn't do any touring yesterday, that we would make up for it today. A part of me thought that SLC Epal might even be out in front at 11AM when he calls to say that he was ready.

Unfortunately, I didn't get up as early as I wanted, but it was still early enough to do a quick 30 minute walk through the neighborhood. I returned from my neighborhood walk at about 10:50AM.

Yesterday, SLC Epal said that he would call around 11AM. I mistakenly thought he would call on or before 11AM. I was out on the front porch about 10 minutes to 11AM waiting for the call. 5...10...15 minutes passed and no call.

Twenty minutes and still no call. Around this time, I'm thinking of turning off my phone. I told myself that if SLC Epal didn't call by 11:30AM, I would just go wandering downtown myself.

At 11:24AM, SLC Epal called asking if I was ready. I guessed from the tone of the conversation that he wasn't in the mood for a drive to the Bonneville Salt Flats, so I suggested we just do a local activity, he agreed. 15 minutes later, SLC Epal arrived at the hostel. Next, he asked if I wanted to grab some lunch, but I wasn't really in the mood to eat, so I said I had eaten.

First stop was out to the Great Salt Lake to a place called Saltair

Wow, I love Google and Wikipedia!!!

Saltair was a nice place. From the lack of people there, I think Salt Lake State Park is a hidden secret. I was amazed at the lack of people on the lake shore on the hot day it was. There were a few people, but very few. SLCE told me that due to the high levels of salt, a lot of people will avoid going especially if they have a cut or an open sore. I guess going would be like "pouring salt in an open wound". Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Anyway, we stayed for almost an hour. I got to see brine flies and brine shrimp. The flies were the first things to catch my attention. They moved like a minuscule locust swarm, but were harmless. For those of you around my age (those who remember when MTV only showed music videos, The fall of the Berlin Wall isn't ancient history, etc...I think you get the point). Anyway, some of you might remember ads for "Sea-Monkeys". For those of you (who like me)have never tried to buy sea-monkeys, you now know what they are....brine shrimp.

Next stop was over to the Kennecott Copper Mine pit. The Kennecott is the largest man-made excavation (meaning largest man-made hole in the ground). I thought the museum located on the grounds was very interesting, we stayed about an hour.

After the copper mine, SLCE knew of a place he used to go to when he was a kid. The place was called "Gilgal Garden". It was an interesting garden. I was impressed that SLCE knew of this small out of the way place. I was a bit embarrassed that having lived in NYC for most of my life, I didn't know more than the main tourist attractions...barely. I was also in a better mood than I started out with. I thought this day was going to be a waste, but it turned out to be very enjoyable and informative.

Being in a better mood (and hungry), I offered to buy lunch/dinner. SLCE knew of a well-known pizza place near the University of Utah he's been to on a few occasions. I paid for the meal and SLCE left the tip.

Since we were near the Utah Museum of Natural History, we thought we would stop by. The price was $7 per adult. I offered to pay the admission fee for the both of us. At first SLCE was a bit concerned about the price, but he agreed. However, the lady behind the desk was very nice. Since the museum was going to close in about 30 minutes, she let us go in for free.

About 6PM, SLCE dropped me off at the hostel. I gave a couple of NYC souvenirs for SLCE and his friend (who also help provide ideas for locations to explore while I was visiting Salt Lake City.

Since it was still a bit early, I decided to do a practice trip to the Greyhound station to make sure I would be able to leave tomorrow morning with enough time. My original plan was to just call a taxi, but I found out the Trax light rail had a stop at the transit terminal. The results were 12 minutes to walk to the "Fare Free Zone*", then the Trax ride. In total, it was about a 40 minute trip.
*Salt Lake City has a fare free zone downtown where you can ride public transportation for free. The FF Zone starts one station stop away from the hostel and ends at the transportation terminal (Amtrak, Greyhound and local buses).

I walked back to the hostel (50 minutes). I showered, did laundry, ate dinner and packed up. Tomorrow, I will have an approx. 2 day bus ride to Indianapolis.

* The attached photo is a view of the Kennecott smelting stack viewed from the Saltair resort.

Post Date - Wednesday, August 26, 2009 1:07PM

Joseph Smith

While doing the captions for my slideshow, I came across some information about Joseph Smith. Since I know very little about him, I found the articles interesting reading. The first article was from Googling Joseph Smith and wives. The other article came from one of my favorite sites, Wikipedia.

Yes I know, you can't believe everything you read on the internet, but even if some of this is true...

I'm...amazed.

Treasure hunter to prophet to having about 20 wives (as young as 14 years old, and marrying sisters as their priest and then later as their husband) and becoming founder of a religion(Mormons).

Wow!

Below is a link to one of the articles I found through a Google search.

JOSEPH SMITH

Post Date - Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:03PM

Salt Lake City - Day 4

Sunday, July 26th



My adventure started about 10:15AM. I retraced my travel route from yesterday, so that I would be sure to find the places I found yesterday by accident. I took the Trax to Fort Douglas. Unfortunately, the Fort was closed.

Next stop was the Red Butte Garden (again, Butte with a long "u"). The Red Butte Garden was a bit of a hike, but well worth it. The garden is locate slightly up the side of a mountain. It was a very nice garden. I liked the layout; just by following the paths, you can go through the whole garden without any difficulty. That's good for people like me who can get lost walking in a straight line.

After the garden, I went to the Hogle Zoo and spent about 2 1/2 hours there. The zoo was small, but it was nice.

After the zoo, I walked back to the hostel again (1 1/2 hour walk). I had dinner at KFC and called it a night.

I'll put together a slideshow of my pictures another time.

To keep with my personal photo maximum of 25 for a slideshow, I am posting two photos that I deleted from my Red Butte Garden file to stay within the 25 max limit. Since my Hogle Zoo file has less photos, I didn't post any with this blog entry.


Post Date - Sunday, July 23, 2009 10:38PM

Salt Lake City - Day 3

Saturday, July 25th

Since SLC Epal started working part-time this summer, He told me that there would be days when he wouldn't be available. So this weekend, I was on my own.

I quickly fell into my old pattern, I didn't get started until about 12noon. My plan was to visit the Days of '47 Festival. I believed that the program was a space reserved for period costumes and actors playing roles of early pioneers. I thought the festival was taking place in the "This is the Place Heritage Park". I made an attempt to go to the Days of '47 Festival by bus, but the "easy grid layout" of the streets was lost on me. After walking (lost) in a circle, I gave up and decided to use the Trax light rail. Even though the Trax did not go to the Heritage Park, I used the Trax map to guess at the closest station to the park and I planned to walk the rest of the way. It turned into about an hour walk. Along the way, I came across Fort Douglas and Red Butte (pronounced with a long "u") Garden. Since it was already getting late, I decided that I would visit both tomorrow.

Anyway, when I arrived at the Heritage Park, I noticed...well nothing different from when SLC Epal drove us there on Thursday. I went to the wrong place! The festival was located someplace else. Oh well, since I was there, I walked around Brigham Young's farm again. I discovered a small monument to the Pony Express nearby.

On my way back, I didn't feel like walking back up the hill, so I decided to find another way back. While walking, I walked right to the Salt Lake City Hogle Zoo. With only about 15 minutes before the zoo closed, I decided that I would go there tomorrow as well.

Feeling in a good mood, I decided to walk back to the hostel. It was about a 1 1/2 hour walk. I had dinner at Chilis Restaurant and called it a night.


Post Date - Friday, July 21, 2009 11:18PM

Slide Show - Salt Lake City (Rodeo)

Slide Show - Salt Lake City (Days of '47 Parade)

Salt Lake City - Day 2

Friday, July 24, 2009

Today the plan was to see the "Days of 47 Parade". In Utah, they have a state holiday to celebrate the pioneers arrival in Utah. So, how was the parade? It was nice, but it did start off slow with a few gaps throughout the parade. I liked the parade floats; they were nice. However, I felt there were too many awards, almost every other float seem to have had an award.

At about 2/3 mark of the parade, there was about a 15 minute gap. People thought the parade was over and were packing up to leave. SLC Epal said he was ready to leave when I was. However, I didn't feel right about leaving. We were sitting right next to a local radio show broadcasting, they didn't mention the parade being over. I know the participants spent a lot of time creating and practicing routines. SLC Epal understood. After the 15 minute gap, the parade resumed. The parade continued for another 15 minutes of floats, bands, and marchers. Finally the parade was over after about 2 1/2hours. One thing I noticed, it seemed as if some of the participants reappeared in the parade. I seemed to recalled a couple of guys who stuck out (in my mind for their cheers and manner of walking) reappearing at the end (after that 15 minute gap). I also notice the large number of "Pacific Islanders" groups that were presented during the parade. However, SLC Epal said that Salt Lake has a lot of immigration programs.

We had lunch at a local restaurant called the Blue Plate. I really wasn't in the mood for more fast food, but since I didn't have an alternative, I agreed to go. I had a broccoli soup, soda with free refills, and a sundae. This time, we each paid for our own lunch. Instead of asking for two bills, I gave SLC Epal cash for the amount of my lunch. SLC Epal payed the bill with his credit card. Since SLC Epal was technically paying the bill, I left the tip.

After lunch, epal gave me a tour of his house. He has a very nice house. Lately, I have been thinking more and more about getting a house myself. After the house tour, SLC Epal wanted to have a rest before we went to the rodeo, so he dropped me off at the hostel. He said he would return about 5:30PM. Since I had about 3 or 4 hours to kill, I decided to walk around Temple Square.

Temple Square
Wikipedia

Located at almost every corner or path were women who offered tours of the square. My tour guides were nice young ladies. The idea was nice, but it came off too much like a sales pitch for the church by low ranking trainees. For lack of a better expression, only because I had time to kill, I went along for the ride.

The tour seemed a bit rushed and incomplete. They started at the South Visitor's Center. They would stop at some displays and skip others. They would stop at some statues, and yes, skip others. I got the impression that tours were tailored to the tour guides' knowledge of the materials they studied. The tour ended at the top floor of the North Visitor's Center. There, we (there was a woman who came along for the tour) were given post cards to fill out requesting a visit from a church representative -- yes, no matter what city or country you came from. The woman I was with had some trouble saying no. The more she tried to avoid filling out the card, the more the guides would press for reasons why she wouldn't fill out the card. Me? I just completed the evaluation part of the card and skipped the home information, handed it to one of the guides, thanked them for taking the time to give me a tour, and walked away. If they had asked, I would have told them that I wasn't interested, but they never did. Both guides seemed more interested in the woman who couldn't seem to say no, and at the same time really didn't want to fill out the card.

On my way out, I was in time for the "Voice of God" at the statue of Jesus. Yes, the voice said that he was God, and explained...well, I really don't remember what he said, I just remember him saying a couple of times that he was God. I walked back to the hostel. It was a nice 3 hour walk.

About 6:30PM, SLC epal returned and we went to the E Center for the 7PM Rodeo Show. I bought the rodeo tickets online the night before($51.50), so we just had to pick up the tickets. I thought that since SLC epal was playing tour guide for me, I would treat him to the rodeo show. Neither one of us has been to a rodeo before, so we both were curious about the rodeo. Unfortunately, being the cheapskate I am, I didn't want to spend a lot of money for the tickets, so we got stuck in the nose-bleed section... way up high.

How was the rodeo? Sorry to say, I was a bit bored by it. SLC epal was also bored. About 1/2 through, SLC epal mentioned that "he was ready to go when I was". However, being the cheapskate that I am, I wanted my money's worth. I told epal that if the show was a blank brick wall, I still wouldn't leave. Luckily, SLC epal seem to understand. The show wasn't terrible, just not exciting. At the end, we both had to chuckle at the commentary made by the announcer. He stated that rodeo was a sport and the animals (in a rodeo) like animals in any other sport are well taken care of and they (the animals) enjoy the sport.

After the show, there was a contest. Each audience member was given a card. We had to swipe the card at one of the computer terminals, input personal information for a chance to win a Ford truck. It took me a few swipes before the terminal activated. However, one of the first things it asked for was my cell phone number, at that point, I guessed that it was just a marketing scam to get personal information that could later be sold. I passed. SLC Epal on the other hand was..."determined" to get his card activated. It was watching his growing frustration that I realized that he had a bit of a temper. The more he tried (and failed) to activate his card, the angrier he became. Finally, he gave up and threw the card in the box and stormed out of the lobby. At this point, if I was on my home turf, I would have called it a night and went home via mass transit. But, being far...far...far from home, my options were limited. Luckily, just as quickly as SLC Epal became angry, he began to calm down just as quickly. He even allowed a couple of drivers to cut ahead of him in the parking lot during the mass exodus to get out.

I suggested that we have dinner somewhere in there area since there were several restaurants in the neighborhood, I also offered to pay for dinner since SLC Epal did the driving. When we arrived at the restaurant, I reminded SLC that I would pay, but he said that he would "pay this time....just don't go crazy on the menu". To be honest, the way he phrased it, I took it as an obligation he felt he had to do, and that killed my appetite. Yes, I've been told that I can be overly sensitive at times. I was able to laugh it off with a joke about wanting lobster, but I really wasn't in a dining mood.

When we sat down, we got lucky. The restaurant was having a two for one special for $20. From a select menu, customers could choose an appetizer, two sandwiches, two sides, and share a dessert. The meal came with free refills for soda. Although I wasn't in the mood to eat, the meal turned out to be nice. Since SLC was paying for the meal, I left the tip. SLC was also in a better mood when we left the restaurant. He thought it was a good idea that we went to the restaurant because we managed to avoid the exit traffic from the rodeo; the roads were clear when we left the restaurant.

At the hostel, SLC Epal reminded me that he would call me on Monday around 11AM. SLC Epal will be working during the weekend, so he wouldn't be available to meet.

Post Date - Monday, August 17, 2009 10:35PM

Slide Show - Salt Lake City (Day 1)

Salt Lake City - Day 1

Thursday, July 23, 2009
I took the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles and arrived in Salt Lake City (SLC) around 7AM. I didn't feel like dealing with public transportation, so I just took a cab to the hostel. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a glitch in the check-in process. The hostel has an automated process, however, it was anything but automatic. I received the email about the change in door code, but I seem to have missed the one about no check-ins until 2PM. For a $5 fee, I was able to check in earlier than 2PM. The problem? The person doing the check in was just hired, and was having trouble with the computer, then with the credit card carbon copy printing machine. It was one of those hand held contraptions that prints the company information on the receipt when the blank receipt is laid on the machine, and the handle is pulled across. Anyway, the clerk just couldn't get it working. Finally, she settled for hand writing the information onto the receipt. So much for convenience.

After I showered and changed clothes, I called my epal from SLC. Last summer, my epal made the comment (either via email or through his blog) that I should come to SLC and he would show me around. Knowing that I wouldn't be doing anything this summer but eating and sleep, I took him up on his offer.

We met up for lunch at a local restaurant. Since my epal would be doing the driving, I offered to pay for lunch(about$18 plus tip). After lunch, the plan was to do a bit of sightseeing. My epal said that we could do any sightseeing as long as we got back before 7PM. His family was throwing a sweet-sixteen party for his niece, and he had to attend.

First up, was a drive up to the top of a mountain for a panoramic view of the SLC valley; it was a very nice view of the valley. On our way back down, we stopped at the State building. I found it a bit strange that the lettering identifying the building were off-centered.

Next up, we went to a park called, "This is the Place". The state of Utah was founded by Mormons. My epal told me that after the Mormons migrated down into the valley through a passage called "Emigration Canyon", the leader at the time proclaimed that the the spot they had seen would be where the pioneers would settle. So, "This is the Place" is the place believed to be the place, where Brigham Young made that statement. The place is now called, "This is the Place Heritage Park". In the park is also located some of the structures of that time, included a pony express outpost, Brigham Young's residence, and a farm.

After visiting "This is the Place", my epal drove us up to a ski resort. It sounded a bit strange because I had assumed that no snow meant that the ski resorts would be closed for the summer. However, the ski resort was opened with summer related activities (like a miniature bobsled-type of slide, rock or rope climbing, and a zip line. trampoline, etc...).

On the way back, my epal drove us to the school that was used for the filming of High School Musical.

We finished our sightseeing adventures about 5PM. My epal had a party to go to. Since it was still early, I did some walking around the local neighborhood. I settled for buying myself dinner at Whole Foods.


Completion Date - Friday, August 14, 2009 4:11PM
Post Date - Sunday, August 16, 2009 12:40PM