After a disappointing night last night we really wanted to see the true St Louis. So it was an early start to do a river boat tour, visit the arch and do a trolley tour of the city! Feel tired just writing about it.
Our hotel was right by the arch so it was a brief walk to the arch, we bought a combi ticket for a riverboat cruise and arch experience. The boat trip started at 10.30, we walked down to to riverfront, boarded the boat after having a customary photo taken. We found some seats on the upper deck at the rear of the boat and off we went. I'm sure most people do not appreciate how big the Mississippi River really is. It really was the lifeline for early America. It carried all types of goods, both North and South, because of that it isn't the most picturesque river going. However the architecture along the river reflects the history of the trade that took place all those years ago. Also, because the river is fast flowing, many electric plants border the banks, several are now derelict but still have a kind of beauty about them.
On the trip there was a school trip, so lots of kids running around, teachers not being able to control them, you know all the usual stuff!
The trip took about an hour, we got off and Pat and I went to do the arch experience. The arch is 365 feet high and 365 feet wide. You go up to the top in a really small capsule, it holds five and takes about 4 mins.
At the top there are several small windows, no bar or seating area, or cafe. There is really no room! However, the views are fantastic. Coming down takes 2 mins!!!!!
We met the girls back at the hotel and we then walked to where we could catch the trolley bus.
Eventually found where the tour left from, our guide was Dusty, really good. So laid back, very informative and he made the tour very interesting and funny.
He plays a game whereby whenever he talks about something that is free he gets a person on the bus to ring a bell and all the passengers shout "ABSOLUTELY FREE". The bell is the same was the ones used to attract attention on hotel desks, you hit them on the top and it goes "ding". A young boy, Tyson, from Calgary was chosen and off we went. We were touring round in an old trolley, Dusty was
pointing out all the sights as we went around and telling us facts as we went. It was amazing how
much n the city was "ABSOLUTELY FREE". The zoo, museums, tours etc, Tyson was ringing that bell all the way round on that bus! St Lous is a lovely city, didn't know much about it other than it has an arch, is renowned for jazz and blues and the Cardinals play baseball there. It has masses of green space and it is well kept, no litter and there is a big building programme going on to restore some of the old areas near the river. Great place well worth a visit on a tour.
Dusty had pointed out and recommended a cople of blues bars so we decided to go and eat there later and try and catch some blues.
We stopped in a Irish bar, always one wherever yuo go in the world, and got chatting to the waitress who was heavily pregnant and expecting her baby n four weeks. Over here she will only get 4 weeks off work, unpaid, and her hourly rate is only $3.75 per hour, the rest she has to make up in tips.
After our 3 free dinks at the hotel between 5.30 and 7.30 we got changed and went to one of the places recommended specialising in oysters. We sat in a courtyard with a stage at the end, ordered our food and drink and as we were eating a guy started setting up on stage. I thought it was a bit strange
that he was on his own with a guitar but thought I was going to hear some real authentic blues along the lines of Robert Johnson and Sleepy John Estes (look them up folks). However what we got was a poor singer, who we could hardly hear and who sang no blues! We left there and wandered into a bar just up the street. As we walked in we saw 6 old guys onstage singing blues and playing their hearts out.
Drinks were cheap, there was only a $5 cover so we sat down. The group were called The St Louis Social Club, a group of friends all from different bands that get together every 3rd "Toosday" of the month to play "toons" together. They were fantastic! They finished their first set, went and chatted to everyone in the room and seemed really pleased that people came to watch them.
For the 2nd set they were joined by 2 more guys. One, playing guitar, who looked like he had just come from the office and a young guy playing sax. He was getting married the next day and had come from his bachelor party too play.
They were great additions to the other guys. We then get a huge black guy up on stage who sang 2 songs and blew everyone away with his voice!
They finished playing at 12.30, so we left and went back to the hotel. What a great night after the disappointment of the night before.
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