Exploration

I spent some time walking around the city today. I’m exhausted but it feels great. Back in Michigan I had become pretty lazy. Towards the end of the summer my days consisted of rolling out of bed around 10 and sitting in chair until 2 when I would start getting ready for work. My life had become little more than a disturbed sleep-wake cycle and my only comfort was food. By the time my trip rolled around I had gained about ten pounds. Well, a couple of days in Salt Lake City and I can already feel the pounds coming off. There were a few points where I was on the verge of huffing and puffing but I did much better than Monday when I thought my chest was going to bust on an hour-long walk. So I’m on the way to being fit again. Excellent!

Today I headed to the library. At first I was going to Mapquest the quickest walking route but eventually decided that I would just go out there and walk until I stumbled across my destination. It really does me little good to have directions or even know street names because I always get turned around. The other day I went for a walk and even though I was in the Avenues, the only part of Salt Lake City where the stret names and number are coherent, I ended up getting turned around. That was a little troublesome because the streets are named with letters from the alphabet and they are in perfect order. The streets that cross the alphabet streets are number and they too are in perfect order….

Anyhow, I will try to trace my steps t the library…I started out on 4th Avenue and C Street. I took C Street up to 3rd Avenue and 3rd down to Memory Grove. I walked up Memory Grove to State Street and took that down to 400 S Street where the library is. The moment I spotted the library my jaw dropped. The other night we drove by it and I was impressed but to see it close up in the daylight was breathtaking.

When you enter the front doors you come across little shops that sell souvenirs, books, CDs and snacks. The shops and the actual library are separated by a spacious walkway that has tables and chairs. There are fireplaces throughout the library and comfy chairs are arranged throughout each level. Light pierces the entire library providing a bright, optimistic feel. You can take your food, drink and book to a cozy spot and spend hours soaking up the ambiance of the library.

Beautiful glass elevators are there to carry you through all six levels of the building. After browsing the books, getting lunch and picking up a trendy trinket you can head up to the roof and take in an incredible view of the Wasatch Range. I think I could live in that library.

I’ve always loved old buildings because of their style and class. However, Salt Lake City has a shining new look to it and I like it. I feel like this city is growing and moving forward. The library was built in 2006 and won an award for being the best library in the country. It is built on a slant that leans into the ground and gives way to a slight incline that includes fountains, park benches and greenery.

After the library visit I decided to wander until I found my way back home. During my travels I learned that there are some streets I might want to avoid when on a long walk. On my way back from the library I took State to South Temple to B Street. This beautiful church is located on the corner of B Street and South Temple so I decided to stroll down B Street and get a full view of Cathedral of the Madeleine. Little did I know one of the highest inclines I’ve encountered in Salt Lake City was in the middle of B Street. By the time I got to the top of that darn hill I was panting. In my defense, according to Mapquest the library is about a mile from the apartment and that’s when you take the direct route. I took the long, scenic route so I’m sure I walked about three miles total on my trip to the library. Normally that isn’t much for me but with the inclines it was a challenge.

So I’ve been reading this book, Salt Lake City: Insiders’ Guide. It is a great tool if you want to get a better understanding of Salt Lake City. It breaks down some of the stereotypes surrounding the city but it also gives a relatively fair explanation for some of the eccentricities that the city has. When you’re in Salt Lake City, there is no getting around learning something about the Church of Latter Day Saints. I am curious about the Mormon and take the chance to learn all I can about them. Getting information about the basics of Mormonism isn’t hard but getting underneath the surface and finding out what is really going on can be tough.

Any group that operates under a veil of secrecy calls attention to itself. I wonder how thick the veil of secrecy was when Joseph Smith founded the Church of Latter Day Saints? Was the secrecy a product of persecution or was the religion always structured that way? The Book of Mormon is rather interesting. I read a good chunk of it last year. Here is what I gathered from my readings and remember I could always have this wrong so do your own research if you’re curious, but this is the gist of what I got from my readings:

In the Book of Mormon Jesus comes to North America and spreads Christianity across the continent. Groups of non-Christian people conquered the Christians; Native Americans are thought to be descendants of the conquerors, which might explain the color issue the LDS did away with a little while ago. The principles of conquer and divide kicks in and a bunch of different Christian denominations arise. Joseph Smith wonders as a child why there are so many different Christian churches (something I too questioned when I was a kid) and his answer arrives in the form of gold tablets from God. Smith translates the tablets and is directed to start a new church, the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints.

This may all sound a little farfetched but hey, who am I to judge? I don’t know all the powers of the universe and regardless of what you think of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith or the Church of Latter Day Saints, you’ve got to admit, Mormonism is a pretty intricate, interesting religion. As an outsider I am only privy to certain aspects but even from a distance I can see that Mormonism is rich in customs, rituals and rules. I am curious and well, a little nosy. I also am curious about the fabric that weaves this city together. If I’m going to learn why this place is the way it is I have to start with those who built it. Let the research and discovery begin!