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Weekend in St Louis - day two

I forgot to mention that the breakfast buffet at the Best Western Airport Plaza was pretty good with scrambled eggs, sausages, biscuits, bagels, toast, yogurt, juice, pastries, etc. and set us up past lunch time anyway.   This morning after breakfast we once again got the free shuttle (though we gave him a tip) to the metrolink station.  This time our destination was downtown St. Louis and the Arch!  We had to wait in line for a little while to get through security and I chuckled to myself remembering how I was pretty well the only one visiting in February 08.  Of course this was right after a snow/ice storm!!!   We asked for the package of trip to the top of the Arch/Riverboat cruise which was on special for $20 - well we got it for $17.  No complaints!!!  Seniors rate?   I'll take it!!!  We were able to get into the line for the 11:30 elevator so off we went. 630 feet to the top - it's the tallest monument in the U.S.  The trams were small and very claustrophobic.  Last time I was in one by myself which was even freakier.  Anyway we made it up in one piece and here is what we saw..

This was the viewing area of the arch.

Downtown St Louis

View towards the Mississippi and on the other side Illinois



Another view

Busch Stadium

After we took another tram down off we went to explore the museum in the visitors centre.  It was a quick look as we had a boat to catch but that was okay for me anyway as I had spent a long while in here in 08.
We then got our boat, the Becky Thacher for a one hour cruise on the Mississippi.  I have always wanted to take a paddlewheel steamer on the Mississippi so another thing ticked off the bucket list. (although definitely will do it when I go New Orleans again someday)  What a lovely day it was.  I wore capris and a short sleeve t-shirt and was warm even on the water.  Lovely!!! 

The boat landing with the Arch.

View from the Mighty Mississippi

Getting ready to dock.

Our boat is on the right. 

When we got off the boat we wandered along the waterfront trying to find the Lewis and Clark statue - we had seen it from the water and I had also visited it in 08...finally we found it.  Some kids were climbing all over it so we kindly asked them if they could move for a few minutes and not only did they do that but one of them kindly put our little stuffed critters in Seaman's mouth for a photo op.  I'm sure he thought we were a couple of crazy old ladies but hey better to be crazy than boring!

Lewis and Clark and their dog Seaman.

Seaman, don't eat Monty!!! 
We walked around Lacredes Landing looking at possible dinner places and picked one out - me boring Pat with saying "I think I ate here" and "I walked along here".  I stayed at the Econo Lodge in the area in 08 and used to walk through Lacrede Landing to get the metro train... We then took the metrolink to Illinois just because it was there.  BORING.   The train went through some dodgy areas and all the stops were obviously just places to park your car and take the train with not much sign of life.   So we went back to Lacredes Landing which is the first settlement of St Louis complete with cobbestones.   I treated Pat to a birthday dinner so we had St Louis style ribs which weren't the best I've had but were okay - the highlight was the spicy mac and cheese side dish and yes sweet potato fries.  Yes I had those as my side dishes because I was on holidays...a real carbo load but it was good.  Drinks were on order as well. 

Then back on the metro to the airport where we got picked up by the hotel again.  The reason we stayed at the airport?  Much more reasonable rates!!! 


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