Back to the Future

June 14, 2017

There are 60 years and 20,000 kilometers between the first two pictures. I'm sitting on the steps of the Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah, just like in 1956. Unfortunately, my parents can't be here with me. Greetings.

We are surprised by how wonderful Salt Lake City is. It has nothing to do with the stereotypes about the Mormon capital. Like the entire state, the people here are friendly, open, and helpful. It's a modern city with many old buildings, all of which are in very good condition. Everything fits together perfectly, the mix is ​​perfect. There is a real downtown, which we appreciate and which is rarely found in the USA. There is even a tram.

Surrounded by an alpine panorama with snow-covered mountains. Some of the architecture even looks alpine German. On the way to the Capitol, we see many beautiful houses with typical verandas and swings. The people who live here are not poor, but nothing is excessive. The city, like the entire state, is the discovery of our trip. You could spend a month here alone, as well as in the more than 20 national parks.

But we continue west. For two hours, we cross the great salt desert to the border with Nevada. It is as often difficult to put the beauty into words and pictures. Once you have seen this dazzling brightness of the brightly white salt and the dark blue endless sky with its cloud paintings, you will not forget it. We take a handful of salt with us.

We reach our destination for the day, Hangover uh Wendover. It is a border town, with Wendover East in Utah and Wendover West in Nevada. Until the state border, everything on the Utah side looks like a normal street village. But then: on half a mile, four huge casinos with hotel facilities and all the fast food chains of the nation. Nothing but tasteless buildings and millions of neon lights. Each casino already plays its own music in the parking lot. An amusement park in space style.

But we are brave and visit a gambling den. Like everywhere the dice roll, there is delicious food at a low price. The waiter, however, can't handle our wine request and has to consult colleagues on how to extract that stupid piece of cork, but the evening is very nice.