Gateway to the West

Brian and I flew back today from a weekend trip to St. Louis, MO. It wasn't a trip we had been planning or a place we'd probably pick to visit, but Brian was down for some continuing ed class and for me it was a cheap flight and a good weekend to meet up with him. SO...Missouri....hmm....don't think I'll have to ever go back. I got down there on Thursday evening and we ate at a cute little pizza/pasta place and had T-Rav's which are toasted ravioli-yum! I guess it's a St. Louis thing. Friday I was on my own for most of the day and I spent it eating two times by myself which is good for a person to do every once and a while. I read, journaled 6 months in my 2008 family scrapbook, watched a good movie and napped a little. At noon Brian and I walked to the old St. Louis cathedral for weekday mass. It is a beautiful church. When Brian got done for the day we walked to the Arch which was pretty much across from our hotel. Oh-the view from our 29th floor room was amazing. Th arch to our left and Busch stadium to our right! The Arch was cool to see and a little freaky riding to the top in a space looking pod that held 5 people. Let's just say you don't want to get on with someone who is phobic or sick. :) That evening we took a ride down the Mississippi on the "Tom Sawyer" with a bunch of kids from some chorus club among other "unique" individuals who were very interesting. The food was ummmmm.....not so good but hey the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting at the end made up for it a little. Not much to see besides murky water, barges, debris, train tracks, etc... The only cool view was the arch lit up at night and that view didn't come until the very end. Thank goodness I was on this ride with a very, very fun and good looking date! The next day we visited the HUGE St. Louis Cathedral. It was so pretty and pretty amazing that it only took 7 years to build. The mosiacs were beautiful! We also strolled thru University of St. Louis campus which is very pretty even in a torential downpour. Brian didn't want to share the umbrella (which we purchased at Macy's for $30)so he had a nice afternoon shower. On our train ride back to the hotel we encountered a bit of a spat between two older men who used very colorful words with a security guard standing between them letting them go at it. After the spat the one man walked over to us asking us to spot him a quarter-ok-very uneasy feelings were felt by me. And as Brian handed him .77 he says God bless you. Ok man you were just using his name in vain now, you are blessing us with it?? The world out there.... So after that we headed to the brewery like any good folk would do after an encounter like that. Wouldn't you be up for some free beer???? We had toured the Anheiser-Busch brewery in Colorado but it didn't compare to this one-the original. Very cool tour and we americans drink a lot of beer! As we are sitting at the brewery an employee informs us that we are in a tornado warning! Great! Everyone seemed very calm-again, wouldn't you be with free beer?! So the storm goes thru we hop a taxi ride back and chill in our room before heading out to a very nice steakhouse for a very good meal. It was a perfect end to an eventful few days. I am happy to be home! THANK YOU KEN & GLADYS & MOM for watching the girls! We won't bother you for a while! :)