Two Temples

When we got home the other day, we took a walk around the block.  Of course that means walking around the Philadelphia Temple.  Elder Syme is standing at the southwest corner of our building so you can see how close we are.  

You mostly see the wall of the visitor center from this side.

Around the other side of the temple is a better view, although they have that fence all the way around so we can't see as much as we would like.  Since this picture was taken, they have finished the brickwork and are now putting up the granite.

To the west of the temple you can see the courthouse and the city library.  We walked along there. (I took this picture on the way home from work in the van on another day.) You can just barely see the top of our apartment building to the left of the temple spire (straight up from the black car.)  The tall building in the middle is a retirement/care center.  That's where Brother Mike (can't remember his last name) lives.  We give  him a ride to church every Sunday.  He has a PHd and has written and translated books.  He even translated the Book of Revelation from Greek to English.  He said he will give me a copy.  But he struggles now remembering things.  Sometimes when we pick him up he asks where we are going.  He is such a nice, sweet man.  

As we go around the block we pass this place.  It is the Rose Tattoo. At first I thought it was a tattoo parlor, but it is a cafe that we're told is pretty good.  We haven't been there yet, but will soon.  I think it's a neat looking building.

Around the corner, heading back toward home, we pass this restaurant where we have eaten.  The Tabors from our ward took us here to eat the first week we were here.  It's pretty good.  The Tabors are wonderful.  He is a counselor in the Bishopric and she is the primary president.  I see her a lot because I am now the pianist in primary.  Love it!  Love all 12 kids in the primary!

On the north side of the retirement/care center is this mural.  There are murals all over the city.  I have been trying to get pictures of as many as I can to post later.

You can't really see because of the tree, but we have a 7 Eleven in our building.  Nice to have in a pinch.

There are two ways to get into our building.  You can go through the garden area on the west side to the right of 7 Eleven.  To the right is where the swimming pool is.  Across the hall from the pool is the exercise room with treadmills etc.  

Or you can go through the main door on the north.  We use this door the most.  This is where we catch our shuttle.  Also directly across the street is where our car is parked. 

This is our parking garage.  It's nice to have a secure place that is very close.  Another senior missionary couple in another part of the city have to park almost 1/2 mile from their apartment.

We have a pretty nice lobby but I seldom see anyone in there.

We have 3 elevators to take us up to our apartment on the 7th floor.

So, we have finished our walk around the block.  Actually it was 2 blocks.  Our apartment is at the end of the hall.  You have seen the inside on a previous blog.

A couple of weeks ago the Tabors invited us to go with them to the Washington DC Temple.  It is about a 2 hour drive from here.  That is sister Tabor on the right and Elder Syme is getting a head start toward the temple.

This is the entrance.  I had heard it was a large temple and is really is.  It is very beautiful.

This is the group we went with who are from our ward.  From left to right:  Elder Syme, me, Brother Mike, Sister Monica Montana, Sister Suarez, and Bother and Sister Tabor.  Sister Montana is from Columbia, South America.  She is going to be a pediatric neurologist who is studying here for a couple of months.  She spent some time at the Primary Children's in Salt Lake before she came here.  She is going home next week where her husband is waiting for her.  She is awesome and I will miss her.

It was a lovely day and I'm looking forward to our next trip.