ABOARD QUEEN OF THE MISSISSIPPI-Long famous as the Gateway to the West, St. Louis is today serving as Gateway to the North for about 145 Queen of the Mississippi passengers — bound up-river on a 7-day voyage to St. Paul.
As mentioned in my pre-cruise post, I was joined in St. Louis Thursday evening by my lady friend and assistant Melinda Renner — allowing us the full day on Friday to explore some of the city’ visitor attractions. Drawing four million visitors a year, the landmark Gateway Arch is by far and away the city’s leading attraction. Not much of a photo opportunity at present, the 90-acre site (a national park unit designated the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial) is undergoing a massive transformation designed to physically connect the Arch to the city and river with parks and walkways. The visitor entrance to the Arch also is to be dramatically redesigned and its Museum of Westward Expansion retrofitted with new interactive displays. The makeover is slated for completion in early 2017.
The Arch was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen in the late 1940s and completed in 1965. It is the world’s tallest arch, soaring 630-feet — and, since it remains open to visitors — we couldn’t resist the opportunity to join a “Journey to the Top.” This popular tour ($10 adults/$5 kids) shuttles visitors in cramped little elevator cars to an observatory of sorts atop the Arch. Narrow slit-like windows afford awe-inspiring views over St. Louis and the Mississippi River.
Next, we made our way through the debris field to the Old Courthouse to have a look at Museum of Westward Expansion exhibits, moved from the Arch for display there during construction. Our visit was enhanced with a performance by a string ensemble from the St. Louis Symphony. It was a lovely and varied presentation, featuring some toe-tapping fiddle music, a few Scott Joplin favorites and a couple of movements from a string symphony titled “Missouri Nights.”
During the afternoon, we poked around Laclede’s Landing, a popular — and historic — riverfront dining and entertainment district named after one of the French fur traders who founded St. Louis in 1764. A late lunch at Hannegan’s Restaurant & Pub, found us making a big mess out of a delectable rack of St. Louis-style barbecued ribs.
Later, we were swept up in the excitement as thousands of Cardinal fans converged on Busch Stadium for a playoff game with the Chicago Cubs. We weren’t for either team, but it’s always good to see fans turn out with real energy and enthusiasm in support of the home team. Armed with some wings ‘n wine, we snuggled up in front of the TV in our room at the Pear Tree Inn to watch the game.
Now moving up river from St. Louis following a smooth boarding process this morning, we’ve passed through a few of the 26 locks we’ll encounter on the way to St. Paul — and the confluence of the country’s two greatest rivers — the Mississippi and Missouri — a spot not far from where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on their Pacific Ocean expedition in 1804. Less interesting, but ever present, is the heavy barge traffic, petroleum and petro-chem terminals and other industrial facilities lining the shore. Understandable, I suppose, when you consider the big river’s historically vital role as major conduit of the nation’s commerce.
More from me tomorrow following our much-anticipated visit to Hannibal, Missouri.
