Just a short 10 minute drive up the hill from Olympic Village is the charming town of Park City. That photo on the top is from the window of a fur shop on the main strip. Park City is also the home of the Sundance Film Festival but I didn’t get to see Robert Redford. We just had a great lunch and walk about.
The Olympic Village is a short drive from Salt Lake City and up several thousand feet. Once you get there the place is totally impressive – even in the summer. The coolest part was the swimming pool training facility for ski jumpers. Many ramps provided beginners to advanced an opportunity to practice their skills once they descend into the pool at the bottom. But wait, what happens if you land on the water and it’s calm like glass. Well, you really hurt. So this pool has an underwater piping system that breaks the fall by shooting air to the surface and making a major bubble cushion. Little tykes about 5 or 6 years old were trying the jump. Athletes from the Australian Olympic team were there and a summer camp was going on. We visited more of the park with a tour that allowed us access to the top of the jumps and luge track. Yes, these people are out of their minds. The track carries bobsleds, luge and skeleton sleds that can go up to 90 mph. The ski jumps were unbelievable. Just look at how far it is to the ground. Not for me. Finishing our tour we visited the museum at the village and there were phenomenal photos from the 2002 Winter Olympics. But the best thing I saw were the huge puppets used in the opening ceremonies. Really great place to see.
What else to see but Temple Square – the home of the Mormons of Salt Lake City. Sorry for the multitude of photos but there were just so many good shots. Debbi and I got up early and walked the downtown to the state capital. Great old homes, steep hills, historical sculpture and the Visitor Center. It’s a beautiful downtown. Unfortunately it was really hot. So we packed our bags and went to the next post (Park City). See you soon at the home of the 2002 Winter Olympic games.
Lake Tahoe is truly majestic. This place is overrun with very tall pine trees and then you go down to the lake. It has crystal clear water and you can see all the way down about 30 feet. I had a phenominal lunch on the lake and took a little walk down there. Unfortunately I had to leave for the next city before I could spend any more time on the lake. But you should definitely go to Lake Tahoe sometime.
Deciding to take this class was a very good choice. Peggy and I drove to the warehouse district of Emeryville, near the bay in Oakland, and we were greeted with this wonderful building that had mosaic masterpieces on the outside and inside. It was overwhelming at first with so much visual stimulation but I got used to it during the week. The Institute of Mosaic Art (IMA) is the brainchild of a truly accomplished artist and businesswoman – Laurel True. She was a GREAT teacher. The kind you listen to every word and soak up all she has to offer. Her artwork and mosaic projects are beautiful. Laurel also does public art projects in Ghana in western Africa. I really learned a lot. Mosaic art is part craftsmanship and part artistic inspiration. Take a look at the photos and you will quickly decide on your favorites. I worked on a cake plate for the first project and was truly challenged. For my second piece I envisioned the design in the middle of the night and was inspired to interpret one of my “Shirley Style” photos (see the post “Risky Business”. It was a great choice and it came together quickly. Grouting was our last activity and we learned great tips on how to make this easy and beautiful. ENJOY.
