Top of the Arch

This is the area under the Gateway Arch where 100,000 people rallied yesterday for Barack Obama - all before the Old Capitol in St. Louis where the Dred Scott cases were argued in the mid 1850s.

We made our way to the Gateway Arch today – my 3rd trip – and this time we took the trip to the top. I can now say that I did it, and I don’t have to do it again. Only 5 people could fit into the little cars. It was tight. And I wasn’t overly impressed with the view from the top. The windows were small, the area was small, and it was way too crowded for such a small area. I was glad to get back down.

We paid extra to see the National Geographic film on the Lewis and Clark adventure. Since coming to Missouri we have been immersed in this story, and now feel like we are fairly literate about most all aspects of the journey.

Another beautiful day, we finished if off with an Italian dinner on “The Hill”.

Food

I haven’t had cantaloupe like this in a long time!

Food is definitely better in the Center of America. Maybe it is the time of year.

The regular grocery stores have mounds of fresh fruit and vegetables. Huge, green lettuces and kales and even collards. Plums and peaches and cantaloupes that are actually sweet. Corn that does not taste like chicken feed, but is really delicious.

I buy bags and bags of this bounty and my grocery bills are a lot less than in Florida, where I had to go to specialty stores (like Whole Foods) just to find vegetables that weren’t wilted and totally tasteless.

Even the fish is more affordable.