Sunday starts early

So Sunday is an early day. For a number of years, I have listened to Music and the Spoken Word over the internet on KSL from Salt Lake City. It is a half hour radio program by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir every Sunday at 10:30am Central time. The show is live, and open to the public. For the Christmas crowds, it is being held in the Conference Center, which seats 22,000 instead of the Tabernacle which is considerably smaller. Got in line at 8:30 to get a seat. It was magnificant! The organ played rich, deep tones as the choir sang some old carols and some newer ones, like a Caribbean one. After the great start to Sunday, Mass was at 11:00am at the Cathedral of the Madeline, Salt Lake's mother church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. It too was a cathedral choir Mass, so two choirs in one morning! Mass started with the Introit, something not done in Nashville. After Mass, I felt I had been to Mass!

Walking back to the hotel, I breezed through Temple Square again, and it looks so different in daylight!

I decided to eat brunch at an Italian cafe a few blocks over. Caffe Molise. I had a great grilled chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic and gorgonzola cheese over angel hair pasta. And a Bellini! Then coffee... Came back to the room and decided to go see a movie. Pulled up theaters on the 'net and saw that Harry Potter was playing at the IMAX at 5:30. It was 3:00pm, so I decided to walk over since the IMAX is at the Clark Planetarium. Got my ticket and had free admission for the planetarium. It wasn't a big place, mostly geared toward children. I sat a while and watched some NASA footage, and walked through space.

Harry Potter was good. On the IMAX big screen, some of the scenes were a bit, well, scary! It lasted until 8pm, so I walked back to Temple Square for a last night of lights and song. Walked into the Visitor Center to visit Christus. When you see the pic, you might recognize the statue. It is 11 feet tall and very comforting to be next to it. Watched the Nativity story again, and finally got some pics of the three kings! Never did get good ones of them in previous years. Came back to the hotel for a fish sandwich, coconut cream pie and coffee at JB's. It was a good way to cap off the evening.

I packed a bit and then decided to write out Christmas I had brought to do, but never did. I was up until 1am doing those. Only have about 20 left, but ran out of cards....left some at home.

A full day is now complete....I dreaded the morning and the thought of going home.