We arrived in the area surrounding Old Faithful in the afternoon about 15 minutes before it erupted. Although there is no way to know exactly when it will erupt, it does so approximately every 90 minutes.
I was struck by the number of people who had obviously traveled from other countries to witness this event. We all stood watching anxiously for the geyser to go off. When it did, the crowd let out a collective sigh and then applause followed at the end of the eruption.
As nature's show had ended, we all walked to the entrance of the Old Faithful Lodge nearby. Upon entering the building, we were all surprised to see how massive the structure was. The beams and timbers overhead were very impressive as was the acoustics. Everyone was looking up at the 3 to 4 story atrium while others on the floors above were looking down at us.
There were shops and some informal areas to sit and eat snacks, ice cream, drinks, etc. Just inside the main entrance lies the formal dining hall enclosed in etched glass windows. The tables were being set for dinner. Rustic chandeliers hung from the ceiling and surrounded the enormous stone fireplace.
The building itself was extremely well suited to the awesome scenery surrounding it. This was truly a highlight of our trip.