Visiting Beautiful Nauvoo - Part 4

As we finished our week in Nauvoo, I had another opportunity to see "Sunset on the Mississippi," this time with Daryl, Eliah, and Natalie (dad and Bonnie too, of course). It was even more fun seeing it a second time, with a different cast of site missionaries and with all the enthusiastic EFY kids in attendance. The BYU International Folk Dancers also performed this same night. What a treat! Such great entertainment.

In the audience at the Outdoor Stage.

One thing I have to mention is the nightly chorus of cicadas that accompanies every outdoor activity during the summer. The sound is a little unsettling at first (think "Psycho" shower scene), but after a few nights you start to look forward to this insect symphony that begins around dusk.

Right down the highway from Nauvoo is a family fun center called Adventure Zone. We passed it every day as we went to and from our hotel. I was determined to get Eliah on their Go-Karts. One evening we grabbed Natalie and took off. We had fun in the arcade, where I creamed them both in air hockey, and on the Go-Kart track, where I left them in the dust. (Hey, that's how I choose to remember it.)

One thing dad and Bonnie do for visitors is to take them to the nicest place in town for dinner--The Hotel Nauvoo. They have a delicious buffet with short ribs (Daryl's favorite), wild rice stuffing, and butterscotch bread pudding (my favorite). We loved it so much we went back a couple nights later and paid for ourselves to experience it again.

Yummy buffet here, compliments of Paul & Bonnie (hee hee).

Dad introduced us early on to Annie's Frozen Custard, the best spot for a late-night treat. Pretty much we hit this place on a daily basis. My favorite flavor was definitely the salted caramel. Delish!

Dad's got the owner there wrapped around his finger. She started special-ordering marshmallow topping for him after he threatened to take his business to the Dairy Queen in the next town. She literally jumps up to check on her marshmallow when she sees him walk in the door. It's proven to be a popular topping for her. She was running low the last night we went in but had set some aside for him. He gets the royal treatment there, I assure you.

Dad must be inside already. This is the night we saw Abbie and Meili walking back to their hotel with their groups.

Well, we thoroughly enjoyed our Nauvoo trip and are so grateful we accepted dad's invitation to go out. What a spiritual and literal trek for us. The Church has beautifully restored all the sites, so you truly immerse yourself in the historical period of the early Latter-day Saints. President Hinckley encouraged every Church member to visit Nauvoo some time in their lifetime. I'm so grateful we took advantage of the wonderful opportunity to go while my dad was there, and I thank dad and Bonnie sincerely again for all they did to make our visit truly memorable, meaningful, relaxing, and enjoyable. I know we each brought home a bit of Nauvoo that will never leave us.