Day 2 - The incredible Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra

Mormons and Salt Lake City are inextricably linked. The city is even built around Temple Square, say the Vatican of the Mormon Church.

To Salt Lake City itself, we actually return in two weeks time on our return home. But as it is Sunday today, this is our only chance to see the world-famous Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra of the Mormons. The choir, consisting of about 400 members, with an equal number of men and women, originated in 1847 just after the Mormon pioneers had settled in Utah. The recruitment conditions for the choir are particularly strict. One must be a member of the ‘Chuch of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints’, shortly called the Mormon church. One must enter a particularly difficult audition, be prepared to follow a boot camp and live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City to easily attend rehearsals and performances. And all this for the honor, because the choir and also orchestra members are not paid. That orchestra was not added until 1999.

Since July 1929, they perform a weekly broadcast, first on radio, then on television and now also via modern channels. It is the longest-running broadcast worldwide of any program. All these years ‘Music and the Spoken words’, as the program is called, starts with the words ‘From the crossroads of the west, we welcome you to a program of inspirational music and spoken words’. There is only one difference. Normally this program is recorded in the Tabernacle that has an organ of about 11,000 pipes. During the busy summer months, the recording takes place from the Convention Center where more people can enter, about 21,000. The Convention Center also has a beautiful organ, with only 7,000 pipes. We attend the special Labor Day broadcast today, paying attention to  work in the 'spoken word', a kind of non-denominational reflection. The broadcast is live, so we have to be very quiet in the room. That’s not a problem. I am so impressed that I'm listening while holding my breath. During the final song 'Arise O God and Shine', I feel a a tear running down my cheeck. Can’t wait to return in two weeks.

We drive northwards towards Wyoming. Bear Lake is also called the Caribbean of the Rockies because of the turquoise-blue color that is caused by the reflection of dissolved limestone in the water. Bear Lake is on the border of Utah and Idaho and is our first real stop today. The natural freshwater lake is 250,000 years old and was created by a fault. The composition of the water has led to the evolution of a number of endemic species.

The question you should normally ask is what color the lake has today: blue, green or turquoise? It is sometimes called the mood of the lake. Today, that does not matter, because from our viewpoint we can hardly see the lake. No Carribean feeling for us.

We have our lunch at the residence of Mormon friends from our driver that has a view of the lake. We continue our way to Wyoming and cut through Idaho, also known as the Potato State. Large farms are scattered throughout the landscape. Tractors and sprayers are a testimony to agricultural activities. Just like in Utah, only a limited number of people live in Idaho. What a sense of space you have here.

We drive across the border with Wyoming. Here there are even more cows than people, with large ranches as a result. We follow Snake River, which, as its name suggests, moves like a snake through the landscape. We finally arrive at our overnight stop in Jackson Hole. A real cowboy village, even though cowboy and horse have been replaced by cars, except for one.

It looses some of its charm, but a real cowboy bar makes up for it.



Jackson Hole is also called one of the gateways to Grand Teton and Yellowstone ...