Seeing for things for the first time: A day with los Rotellini
Darrel L. Hammon
It is not often you are with someone who experiences something for the
first time. That happened on Friday, April 5, 2013, when we picked up los
Rotellini who were visiting from the Dominican Republic.
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| Los Rotellini at Deer Creek Reservoir |
We picked them up at their hotel and
headed to Park City midst a rain storm. We expected some snow and more rain
throughout the day. We contemplated just staying and visiting; yet, we trundled
forward through Draper, Sandy, and the other cities, once separate and
distinct, now connected, making Salt Lake even a bigger area. We pointed out the
Draper, Jordan River, and Oquirrh Mountain temples and explained the triangle
they form.
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| Hermana Rotellini, the skier |
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| Hermano Rotellini, the skier |
Interestingly,
almost the moment we arrived in Park City, the weather changed. What we thought
was going to be a miserable day turned into a gorgeous day. Although the clouds
covered the highest mountain tops, their various formation coverings brought a
new beauty to mountain side and the surrounding area.
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| Joanne and los Rotellini at the 2002 Olympic Museum |
At the 2002
Olympic museum, we met a wonderful Peruvian family. The mother was living with
her family in Mesa, Arizona, now, and the daughter and her new husband lived in
Ogden and going to Weber State University. The young woman’s husband wasn’t
there to greet us, but she proudly told us he had served in the Dominican
Republic and has talked incessantly about the DR. They planned on returning
someday to conocer (get to know) the
DR. It was a delightful conversation with people who share the same values and
spoke the same language as los Rotellini. They marveled at the coincidence.
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| Los Rotellini at the Olympics Training Center |
We drove through
old Park City and around the roundabouts. Los Rotellini just shook their heads,
commenting on the bendiciones (blessings)
of the people who live there, the cleanliness, and the neatness. They asked
about what the houses were made of. Plus, they noted the slanting roofs and
knew why they were slanted—so the snow would slide off. They mentioned the flat
roofs in the DR and the challenges they pose when great rains pound them,
causing the water to seep—yes, even gush—into the homes.
We left Park City
and headed to the main highway and drove to Heber City. As we drove slowly
through this quaint yet growing community of Heber City, Hermana Rotellini commented
on the great pioneers and the pioneering nature of these people. Then we headed
into the canyon.
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| Deer Creek Reservoir from the bank |
Between Heber City
and Bridal Veil, we stopped along the way at the Deer Creek Park. Other than
another vehicle parked down the road, we were the only people there. We climbed
out of the car and walked down to the lake front. Hermana Rotellini kneeled
down and scooped up some water, marveling at its coolness. She breathed deeply
over and over, saying how clean and pure the air was.
On the way out, we
stopped at a clump of sagebrush. Hermana Rotellini climbed out of the car and approached
the clump. She broke off a piece and gingerly brought the piece to her nose and
smelled the sage fragrance. Precioso!
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
We pulled into the parking lot at Bridal Veil Falls.
Los Rotellini continued to look up at the majestic mountains as we walked
across the bridge that spanned the Provo River.
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| Looking up at the majesty |
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| Provo River at the bridge to Bridal Veil Falls |
On the other side, we trundled
down the path to the base of Bridal Veil. Just to the left of base was a little
pond that had been damned by medium-sized rocks. Swimming lazily in the pond
were dozens of trout. Poking out the ground were three different machines that
offered “fish food” for sale. A young couple had just purchased some fish food
and were tossing it into the water and causing quite a stir. Hermana Rotellini
sat down on the rocks, dipping her hands in the water to test its coolness.
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| Hermana Rotellini by the fish. She doesn't want to go. |
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| Provo River at the bridge to Bridal Veil |
The young couple tossing food asked us to take a
picture of them. Come to find out he was a former missionary who served in
Argentina. He was there with his fiancé from Colorado. We had a nice
conversation in Spanish.
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| the mountains just opposite of Bridal Veil |
Soon, we were back
in Provo, the city, just a mere skip from Bridal Veil and its sereneness and
majesty. It was hard to believe that fewer than ten minutes separated the
jumbled mess of city and people from one of God’s most precious spots. Los
Rotellini talked about God’s gracious finger in creating these beautiful
mountains and scenery.
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| Los Rotellini y su familia |
What an honor it
was for us to be with Hermano y Hermana Rotellini. They are such gracious
people. When we let them off, we met their daughter and her family. Wonderful
people! We enjoyed meeting all of them.
