Mormons, bratwurst, and soccer

The reason why we had to be in Salt Lake City on this day was the soccer match between the Utah Royals and Orlando Pride in the NWSL Women's Soccer League. The weather was perfect for soccer, the stadium was very nice, and the atmosphere was great, even though it ended in a goalless draw. One of the most likable players, Ali Krieger, has been playing for Orlando for a few years now, and it was a pleasure to see her play live again. After the game, I had the chance to speak to her in German for a few minutes, which we both enjoyed a lot. All in all, it was a successful end to a very nice day, and I hope we can "attend" a few more soccer matches along the way.

Of course, we took the opportunity to explore Salt Lake City. We found the city that hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics very pleasant. There are many nice shops and restaurants, as well as some beautiful buildings. The downtown area is dominated by the Mormon Temple. The Mormons founded the city in the middle of the desert in 1847, after their spiritual leader decided that it was the place to live and that it was God's will. The majority of the population in Utah are Mormons, but it wasn't particularly noticeable to us, except around the temple square. In the café of the Marriott hotel, which is part of the complex, there is no coffee or tea, as Mormons do not consume these things, along with alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. The guided tour of the grounds was informative and free, as was the organ concert at noon. Contrary to our expectations, perhaps fears, no attempt was made to convert us. Of course, the ladies who led the tour presented their faith in a positive light and talked about it, but it was informative, not annoyingly persistent. Our tour guides were from Thailand and South Korea. All people working in public relations there wear signs with their names and the language they speak - the whole world is truly represented.

A special experience was our visit to Siegfried's delicatessen and deli. There, you can find not only all kinds of German groceries but also authentic German food. We opted for bratwurst and pasta salad, and it was really delicious. We would definitely eat these sausages at home anytime. I felt really at home when we discovered Handkäse and Limburger at the cheese counter 😂😂. After over four months of traveling, our visit to Siegfried's gave us a beautiful feeling of home 😊.