2022 Ehresmann Family Vacation, Days 1 & 2

 We have talked about and planned for this family trip for about 4 years. We wanted to take our family of seven to a resort in Mexico to celebrate our 50th anniversary (June 6, 2020). Covid interfered like it did for many people and many plans. Finally, the stars and planets aligned and we all boarded planes (us from SD and OFD from MN) on Saturday morning for a week in Cancun.

Here are some photos from Day 1 and part of Day 2.

This scene greeted us when we entered our room. 

K & C (our FS & FDIL) arranged this welcome and surprise for us. 

chocolate covered strawberries & champagne

very thoughtful and much appreciated

and a towel sculpture

the g'kids spent some time in the ocean on Saturday

we enjoyed family time at dinner in the Mexican restaurant at the resort 

(there's OFD for those who were concerned she wasn't with us)

we all tried prickly pear salad

the green is the prickly pear

the white is cheese

with marinated grilled tomatoes, onions and peppers

interesting and tasty

This is the view from the balcony of our room. The two people near the pool's edge are our grands. This pool was rather quiet at 8 this morning. It got much busier later in the morning. It is one of 3 resort pools, plus the ocean. By the end of Day 2, they have been in every pool!

they enjoyed the water slide

the tubes for the two water slides

a view of the lagoon from the water slide area

the adults were chilling by the pool this morning

until it got too warm and time for some lunch

my coffee drink this morning

came upon this iguana as we walked to the beach for lunch

A Walk Downtown

 I joined some friends for a walk along Phillips Avenue Tuesday to view some of the 80 sculptures placed for viewing and purchasing this year.

The Model

I think this was my favorite. From the backside it looked like three Cacti plants in a container.

But when we saw the front side, it was people, wrapped in a hand.   

Song of Protectedness

Junkyard Chameleon

Populous Deltoides

my second favorite as it tingled in the breeze

like a gentle wind chime

Rude Awakening

Abundance

I liked the story behind this colorful piece. Mark Hall of Kasota MN trained with master glass craftsman, Warren Olson, who was schooled in the German tradition. Olson hired Hall to fabricate and install ecclesiastical stained glass windows throughout the country. 

Ancient Protocol

colorful bugs mating

Bravo

crafted of spoons, forks and knives

Ancient Dream Catcher

also crafted by Mark Hall

Day's Catch

Selene

The walk ended at Blarney's Pub. I enjoyed Shephard's Pie.

Sioux City IA

 We had not spent time in Sioux City before our excursion last week. Usually, Sioux City was a drive through with lots of irritating road construction and no options other than the interstate road construction. 

Sioux City is in the northwest corner of Iowa. North Sioux City is in South Dakota and South Sioux City is in Nebraska, across the Missouri River. 

The bridge across the Missouri River to South Sioux City in Nebraska.

Smurf Fries, sculpture at the art museum

another downtown sculpture

Floyd River Campsite Rock

The rock shows illustrations of various historical events in Lewis & Clark's journey. Some of the events include the death of Charles Floyd, an idea of what the campsite might have looked like, Floyd's suffering and a portrait of Charles Floyd. 

The original Freedom Rock was created and painted by artist Ray "Bubba" Sorenson, and designed to honor veterans and provide a unique piece of art in each of Iowa's 99 counties. The Freedom Rock series has expanded to other unique locations.

Sergeant Charles Floyd was the only member of the Lewis and Clark Party to have died during the expedition. 

he was buried on this bluff August 20, 1804

named Floyd's Bluff

the bluff overlooking the Missouri River

Clark diagnosed the condition which led to Floyd's demise as bilious colic, though modern doctors and historians believe Floyd's death was more likely to have been caused by a ruptured appendix. ~ Wikipedia

Bison painted by Martin Ron

a three-dimensional painting 3 stories tall

Harrier Hawk, painted by Sarah Rutherford

the harrier hawk is an endangered species of the Siouxland area

Bridging East and West

three girls who represent African American, Southeast Asia and Jewish

communities and business in that part of Sioux City

 showcasing Hispanic heritage in Sioux City

painted by David Manzanares, an artist from Mexico

a closed diner 

red oak leaves

oldest building on the campus of Morningside College

Charles City College Hall 1890

a Richardson Romanesque structure of Sioux Quartzite

We completed 3 of the 14 Adventure Labs in the Sioux City area. Completing Adventure Labs are a great way to see all a community has to offer. We attended an event at the end of the day hosted by a Swiss exchange student at Morningside College giving us an opportunity to meet a few of the local geocachers.

Woodbury County Court House

 We drove to Sioux City for a day of geocaching last week. Our first stop was at the Woodbury County Court House. Courthouses are usually interesting; sometimes it is the outside structure and sometimes it is the inside. This one was a total surprise on the inside. 

the only open entrance; there are two

the stained glass dome in the rotunda

not visible from the outside

arrowhead and leaf motif

repeated throughout all the glass works in the courthouse

murals by artist John Warner Norton (1876-1934)

four murals line the mezzanine level

the four murals were completed in 1919

the murals were painted on canvas in Norton's IL studio

and installed in the courthouse

white terra cotta accentuates the murals of the mezzanine level

the lights above the entrance

more terra cotta detail on the walls of the main floor

the original elevator to the four courtrooms on the second floor

some of the outside features 

the eagle on the eighth floor

the courthouse was built at a  cost of $825,641.23

about 50¢ per square foot

two bison on the alley side of the courthouse

more outside structure detail

even the lights along the sidewalk were unique

Public Safety Memorial next to the courthouse

The courthouse architectural style is Prairie School which originated in Chicago and developed in the 1890s.

the courthouse was started in 1916 and completed in 1918

it has 6 additional stories in the tower

The exterior design was quite radical compared to the stone or granite of typical courthouses of the time. Roman brick differing in size and color and sculptures above the two entrances make this structure unique on the outside.

Justice and Humanity

click to enlarge the photo to see more of the detail