Mini-vacay: Part Two

 

The following morning, our view looked like this which doesn't give one a sense of the howling wind outside nor the very cold temperatures. Fortunately, my eldest had planned for an indoor day so we spent the day lounging in the rental with books or playing cards, spending some time at an indoor trampoline park to let the kids blow off steam and attending New Year's Eve mass as a nearby church.

The following day was back to being sunny and a lot warmer so we drove to Ha Ha Tonka park and went for a hike to see some ruins of a burnt out mansion built 120 years ago and burnt 80 years ago.

Shortly after it was burnt, a dam was completed in the valley below and flooded out the large majority of the 5000 acres estate according to the posted signage. Left unsaid was weather the fire was intentional for insurance collection.

The result all these years later in the bright sunlight was still the same, a shell of a stone building contrasting beautifully against the bright blue sky.

On a distant hill, we saw and hiked to this structure which turned out to be a water tower to supply the mansion with water and to house some of the servants. It too was set fire but 30 plus years after the house and the flooding of the estate. The sign did mention that vandals were to blame for this fire.

If you squint and look closely, you will see the remains of the mansion just to the right of the tree in the center of the photo in the far off distance. I was amazed at how far the water tower was built from the mansion which is why I took the photo from this perspective. I think the house was started around 1905 and finished by the early 1910's. 

From the manmade ruins, we hiked down the mountain to some ruins of a natural bridge that the trail rent right underneath.

The view on the other side.

Later that evening, we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset on the lake.

The next day, our short vacation was over and we headed home but did take a slight detour to visit a national shrine to Mary and mothers in general. The statue on top revolved slowly around the pedestal and was surrounded by a hillside amphitheater where in the summer outdoor masses are held regularly. Around the base of the pedestal and unseen in this photo is a large black granite wall with the names of thousands of ordinary mothers etched into it's face. According to a pamphlet we found, anyone can add the name of their mother for $450, which goes to the labor of etching and the upkeep of the shrine.