'round the town.

Well, first of all....when you come up Highway 96 and round the corner to the "main" street of Nauvoo, the Temple on the hill is an amazing sight. It takes your breath away.
{This is obviously not from that view point, and my description is lacking, but if you ever get the chance to go to Nauvoo, no matter how long the trip may be...I suggest you do it!}

As with many temples, the Nauvoo temple is rich with history.

This temple that now stands is a reconstruction of the original Nauvoo Temple built in the 1840s and destroyed by fire in 1848 and tornado-force winds in 1850.

As described on the LDS Temples site:

"A little more than 153 years ago, Latter-day Saints had to abandon the temple they had recently dedicated. "Soon," President Hinckley said, "there will grace this sight a magnificent structure, a re-creation of that which existed here and served our people so briefly during that great epic Nauvoo period of the history of the Church." Looking back on that era of Church history, not long after the Prophet was martyred, President Hinckley said, "I can just see the people in 1846, the wagons that bitter, bitter cold day going down Parleys Street to the water's edge, getting on a barge, moving across the Mississippi River up on to the higher ground and looking back on this sacred structure which they had labored so hard to build and realized that never in this life would they see it again. It is difficult to imagine their emotions."

There is a sacred feeling surrounding this temple...and to me I think that feeling comes because of the sacrifices that were made.

The Downtown area of Nauvoo is quite quaint. I love the feel of the old buildings!

There was a bagpipe band marching up and down the street {in the heat! poor souls!}.

They happened to stop right as we were going into Grampa John's cafe for lunch, and played Amazing Grace.

I think he looks this way because he's hungry. Ü

But of COURSE I had to get a picture of Grandpa John in front of Grandpa's John's Cafe.

{it was a neat little place to eat....too expensive and mixed with the fact that we didn't get our food till after EVERYONE in our group had their food...not such a fun experience. Oh well, can't win them all!}

We also ate at Hotel Nauvoo.

VERY yummy....and a grand ole buffet, just the way James likes it Ü.

{picture taken from Hotel Nauvoo website}