Omaha, Nebraska

Day 11 was a FREE DAY!!!! That would mean a day off for most, but Marcia and I set out early to discover possible attractions in the area that could be added to the itinerary for future tours. We started at Lauritzen Botanical Gardens. It’s fairly new so there was a lot of growing needed, but we still saw some beautiful flowers.

My favorite part of the gardens was the architectural area where we found some pretty gardens and a model train. The model train area had buildings and bridges made of twigs, birdseed type materials. It was pretty amazing.

Next we decided to visit the zoo, but since it was a holiday weekend, it was so crowded, we decided to explore the city of Omaha. On Mondays, most museums are closed, so we decided to check out the old market. We toured an art museum which houses many Thomas Mangelsen prints. He’s a photographer famous for scenery and wildlife. I thought for sure he must photoshop his pictures since the colors are so vibrant, but we were informed that he did not. He studied the area for weeks, sometimes longer, to get the effect he wanted from a picture. If you ever want to see his work, it can be found at http://www.mangelsen.com/.

Close to the market was Lewis & Clark Landing where there was a beautiful park alongside the Missouri River.

We must have taken a hundred pictures of the swans, ducks and ducklings.

Before retiring for the day, we viewed the Holy Family Shrine, situated on a 23 acre site overlooking the Platte River Valley.
Inside the visitor Center, a suspended sculpture represents the shroud of Christ as it fell to the tomb after the resurrection.

From the sculpture, water appears. Symbolic of the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the source is perceived to be invisible. As the pool fills with water, the outpouring leads us back to the Church.

Inside the chapel, water continues to cut through the floor, but splits to each side of the aisle and into a pool beneath the alter, symbolically joining our spirituality with the Eucharist. The chapel has a wooden frame & roof & glass all around. I wonder how anyone can concentrate on mass with such a gorgeous view.