I visited the St Louis Arch today! Or, as it more formally known: the Jefferson National Expansion Monument. I got my passport book stamped and bought a sticker, of course. We Stamping People are common enough that the NPS people don't even need to break their assistance to others - when I wave my blue book, they can all point to the proper stamping location without stopping what they are doing. Impressive! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Passport_Stamps
The stamps, the gift shop (where I bought my sticker and my new NPS annual pass), the tram ride to the top of the Arch, a couple of movies, and the Museum of Westward Expansion. http://www.nps.gov/jeff/index.htm There is a LOT to see. I bought a tram ticket and rode up to the top of the Arch - pretty exciting! I did not take any photos, but here is a short video from someone else showing the inside of the "pod" you ride in - very cramped quarters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_vdyzxgRb4. At the top you look out short, long windows. Kids (and parents) were exclaiming "Look! The river!" and "Look! Busch Stadium!!" Cardinals shirts are almost a common here as Red Sox shirts are in Boston. (Almost. Nobody beats the Red Sox Nation in fandom!)
The museum was very interesting also. It is built in several rings, so you can see how Europeans made their way westward in this country. I was, of course, most interested in the Lewis and Clark parts. There was some interesting information, and a lot of excerpts from their journals etched into big mirrors. The mirrors were displayed next to paintings of the areas where they wrote the entries. As I'm headed along their route, I was very interested in seeing how the museum developed the story - and was excited for the Corps when they reached the Pacific at last! I doubt I will be as excited and relived when I get there, as I have Jane the GPS helping me along the way, as well as lovely paved roads, nice campsites, and gas stations filled with snacks. But I am definitely looking forward to that part of my trip!
The stamps, the gift shop (where I bought my sticker and my new NPS annual pass), the tram ride to the top of the Arch, a couple of movies, and the Museum of Westward Expansion. http://www.nps.gov/jeff/index.htm There is a LOT to see. I bought a tram ticket and rode up to the top of the Arch - pretty exciting! I did not take any photos, but here is a short video from someone else showing the inside of the "pod" you ride in - very cramped quarters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_vdyzxgRb4. At the top you look out short, long windows. Kids (and parents) were exclaiming "Look! The river!" and "Look! Busch Stadium!!" Cardinals shirts are almost a common here as Red Sox shirts are in Boston. (Almost. Nobody beats the Red Sox Nation in fandom!)
The museum was very interesting also. It is built in several rings, so you can see how Europeans made their way westward in this country. I was, of course, most interested in the Lewis and Clark parts. There was some interesting information, and a lot of excerpts from their journals etched into big mirrors. The mirrors were displayed next to paintings of the areas where they wrote the entries. As I'm headed along their route, I was very interested in seeing how the museum developed the story - and was excited for the Corps when they reached the Pacific at last! I doubt I will be as excited and relived when I get there, as I have Jane the GPS helping me along the way, as well as lovely paved roads, nice campsites, and gas stations filled with snacks. But I am definitely looking forward to that part of my trip!
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