Apparently, David's family was traveling with another family and they were stopping to see the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. So that's where we went to meet them...at the shrine in La Crosse. As the three of us pulled into the Shrine's parking lot we saw what looked like a very little shrine and collectively thought, "David and his family/friends traveled all this way to see this?"
The rest of the story is told in captions of the pics shown below in sequence:
So this is the Shrine?...later we found it, it's the Votive Chapel...
Anne has her cake and eats it...at the Shrine restaurant...
Celine, Aunt Diane, Dominic, Andrew, and Aunt Annie...
David & his wife Jacci and their Nikon D50 camera...
...the exact same model Paul has...
...the exact same model Paul has...
Unexpectedly to us...they piled us into these golf carts...
...David's friend Scott drove one of the carts...
...we soon found out he isn't the world's best driver...
...David's friend Scott drove one of the carts...
...we soon found out he isn't the world's best driver...
We twisted up and up this winding path...
...much steeper than it looks here...
...just ask those in the golf cart David was in...
...much steeper than it looks here...
...just ask those in the golf cart David was in...
We stopped and they passed out construction helmets for us to wear...
...note how good David looks as a construction worker...
...you can almost imagine him snarling, "Where's my donut?"
...note how good David looks as a construction worker...
...you can almost imagine him snarling, "Where's my donut?"
Ah...so this is the Shrine Church...now it all makes sense...
...it's still under construction, hence the helmets...
...it's still under construction, hence the helmets...
It's stunning, so large and under construction...
...nothing like during the Middle Ages back in old Europe...
...with modern tools and scaffolding...
...nothing like during the Middle Ages back in old Europe...
...with modern tools and scaffolding...
Here is the nun who gave us the tour...
...she kindly answered all Paul's questions regarding their project management...
...she kindly answered all Paul's questions regarding their project management...
They showed us just about every part of it...
...multi-level basement and all...
...though we saw no gargoyles or secret passage ways...
...multi-level basement and all...
...though we saw no gargoyles or secret passage ways...
This is the room for the bishops and higher to put on their vestments...
...when finished their bathroom will have real towels...
...while the bathroom for the regular priests will just have paper towels...
...when finished their bathroom will have real towels...
...while the bathroom for the regular priests will just have paper towels...
David steals the blueprints which were left unattended...
From what it sounds like, no expense has been spared...
...Italian marble...exotic woods...all with modern techology...
...reinforced concrete, steel construction, thermal stained-glass windows, etc...
...Italian marble...exotic woods...all with modern techology...
...reinforced concrete, steel construction, thermal stained-glass windows, etc...
For the trip back down the hill...
...fewer people chose to ride in the cart with David's friend driving....
...oh yea of little faith...
...fewer people chose to ride in the cart with David's friend driving....
...oh yea of little faith...
A model of what the finished Shrine will look like...
...only bigger..
"Thank God for the model trains, you know?
If they didn't have the model trains
they wouldn't have gotten the idea for the big trains."
...only bigger..
"Thank God for the model trains, you know?
If they didn't have the model trains
they wouldn't have gotten the idea for the big trains."
Aunt Annie giving Dominic a kiss...
Anne and Diane contemplating a higher calling...
...inside the Votive Chapel...
...inside the Votive Chapel...
After saying goodbye, David, his friends, and some of his kids left for the airport...
...and by leaving I mean they left behind Jacci and Tricia...
...notice the van leaving them...
...and by leaving I mean they left behind Jacci and Tricia...
...notice the van leaving them...
We had a wonderful visit with them. We were impressed by what we saw. It's definitely a place worth visiting. Since it's only an hour or so from Rochester, we'll have to take Michele and Sammy there too.
