Holy Week Part 3 "Sad Saturday"

Saturday morning there was noise and excitement just outside our condo. The Gateway complex was hosting an Easter bonnet decoration party and parade.

It began at 10:30 with the marching band from Provo HS marching down Rio Grade Dr( the curving road down the center of the complex) to Olympic Legacy Plaza, outside our windows, where long tables had been set-up with bonnets and decorating supplies.

Wayne and I didn't venture outside until just after noon, as we had been working on preparing our taxes, but we could hear the noise and excitement right through our closed windows.

We decided to go down and watch and Wayne took pictures. Whole families were decorating hats and enjoying a live band (like the Teddy Bear Band in MN) who were entertaining those who had finished the hats.

At 12:30 PM the marching band returned and led the families in a grand parade. Wayne and I did not decorate hats as they were low on supplies when we arrived and families were just arriving. Some chose to wear just paper bunny ears which we also left for the kids.

We followed the marching band and enjoyed all the marchers with their creations. Others lined the street to watch and wave. The band marched and stopped to play and twirl, working it's way to the far plaza and half way back to their waiting bus and trailer.

Families followed the band right to their bus before realizing that the parade was over! The families in their fancy headgear then dispersed all over the complex, as Wayne and I headed home.

After completing our work for the day, we decided to spend the rest of Holy Saturday (or sad Saturday as some call it) climbing to the top of Ensign Peak which overlooks the Salt Lake Valley.

It is said that Brigham Young was told by Joseph Smith in a vision that he would know when he had journeyed to the right place, when a valley opened out before him with a sentinel mountain overlooking it.

Ensign Peak is that mountain, and Brigham Young, with 8 other men, climbed it 2 days after reaching this valley and from there made plans for their new community. These plans included the very wide streets, large enough to turn around a team of horses pulling a wagon, for which Salt Lake City is famous.

We began our hike from the capital and so probably ascended on foot over 600 feet to the peak. The trail to the peak is a 382 foot ascent in 4 tenths of a mile from the trail head. There were several stopping places along the way, with historical plaques and gorgeous views of the valley. It starts as a cement walkway, and quickly changes to dirt trail. It was free of snow and ice and already hard as rock.

We stopped at all the plaques to read the history and mainly to catch our breath and enjoy the amazing views.

When we got to the top of the mountain, there was a large extended family of Mormons who were gathering for Easter and had climbed up there as part of their celebrations. The Patriarch of the family was giving a little history lesson and we listened in. Wayne took pictures for them with several cameras.

The walk down was much quicker but still had stunning views. We walked down through the Capitol Hill neighborhood to our car and then hurried home to call the girls and talk about their upcoming trip to UT, as they were gathering at Beth's. After a nice visit we walked to the Dodo for supper and came home to watch the movie, The Secret Life of Words, very good but disturbing.