Saturday in ...... OGDEN ?!?!?

Well, it's not Paris, but it's do-able on our budget, both financially and time-wise. Saturday was our 5th anniversary (Bruce and I) and we combined a couple little errands into an enjoyable 4-hour trip to Ogden, a city about an hour north of Salt Lake. Ogden has an historic area that is undergoing a revitalization. Shops are moving back into the old part of town; the new FrontRunner commuter train runs between Salt Lake and Ogden, the old Union Pacific depot has been renovated and has a museum inside...... and there are interesting shops, galleries, people and horses everywhere.

Yes, horses. These are obviously not REAL horses, but statues that have been sponsored by various businesses, who then commission an artist to paint them......... in any number of bizarre or delightful ways........... So, let's start with some of these wacky, colorful horses!

This next one is a harlequin! Notice the "jewels" on the shoes and in the tail!

This next one just looks like a roan, but can you tell what the red part represents? (Hint: it's the shape of a certain country).
And speaking of that certain country, here is a patriotic horse:

Our first order of business was to visit the stage in the small Farmer's Market where Bruce's banjo teacher was performing with his wife and daughter (see previous post).

Their set was about 90 minutes, and since the day was warm and we had good seats in the dappled shade, we stayed for the whole thing. I had my sketchbook and managed a respectable rendering of the tree......

Then we strolled around the park. There was a display of vintage tractors.

And GUNSHOTS!!!!! What?!?!? Turns out it was a re-enactment of an old-time stagecoach robbery. Here the "bandits" approach the "travelers" in the coach.

And the travelers are forced to get out and turn over their valuables to the bandits:

But luckily, the sheriff and his posse come to the rescue, and after a (loud, obnoxious) shoot-em-up, they get the bad guys rounded up and save the day!!!!!! Was there ever any doubt, LOL???
We ate lunch at a cute sidewalk pub called Rooster's. Beyond the red gate at the right is a tree-lined courtyard where we dined alfresco.

After that, I stopped in at Needlepoint Joint, which was right next door! DH came with me and had a good time talking with the ladies in the shop while I gathered up my "necessities" (see last post). He didn't even cringe when they totaled it up! Is he a gem, or what?? Here is Roosters and Needlepoint Joint from across the street:

From there we walked several blocks west to the old Union Station train depot. It has been beautifully restored inside and out.

Another horse in the front courtyard depicts the driving of the Golden Spike. In hammering in the final "golden" spike (in an official ceremony in May of 1869), the first transcontinental railroad was formed by joining railroad lines from the east and west. The actual site is Promontory Point, about an hour NW of Ogden. Note that the horse's legs are tree limbs. Pretty clever!

This is the inside of the old depot.

Then we walked another block and visited the new depot, home of the FrontRunner commuter train. Nice, but it just doesn't have the same ambience of the old station, does it??

What a fun day! Good company, good music, fresh air and exercise, good food..... and more stash!!!