St Louis - Day 4

[kelpie]

On Wednesday we split up. I went to the City Museum, which is an amazing place for anyone of any age. The kids wanted to take a helicopter ride around the Arch. it 's $35 each and they were excited about it until they got down there and learned it was only a 2-3 minute ride! Instead, they toured Busch Stadium for a behind the scene look and got some great photos for themselves. Here's the gate to the museum
and a view of one outdoor play area I need to mention that this building caught my eye as we drove into the city to our park because of the school bus hanging off the roof along with a ferris wheel. I bought my ticket and wasn't planning to go on the roof (it costs extra and I don't like heights) but I went up to this desk to ask a question and the girl there put an orange wristband on me (for the roof) Whom am I to argue? Everywhere you look in this museum there is something fun. Slides, climbing devices and tunnels are everywhere! Like this
and this and this steep one There are a also a variety of vehicles to climb on and explore like this fire truck Inside as I made my way to the elevator, I stopped to catch this beautiful mosaic in the floor
Now the roof is 11 stories up and another fantasy play land for people of all ages. A walk-through fountain (you don't get wet if you stay on the stepping stones) more climbing devices and slides and the bus - hanging out over the edge Play is encouraged, like flying kites There's a working ferris wheel - no, I did NOT ride it - I don;t do those when they are sitting on the ground. and on the very top this giant insect (grasshopper, I think?) holds yet another slide Underneath him there is a giant rope to swing and climb on and then the grand-daddy of all slides - a 10 story one that ends in some caves. Yes, I DID ride that one but no pics since I was whizzing down on my back. Here's a shot of the "cave area" where we ended up Back on the main floor I spent some time admiring the tree house, cave, forest area where even the support columns are used to enhance the design Before we leave here, let me show you one more shot from the roof. The RV park where we stayed was in the left middle, near the green steeple Next I got on another bus to go to citygarden, a new sculpture park for the people of the city to enjoy. Signs invited visitors to enjoy the pools and these kids took them up on it. and these in the random fountains and even one of our friend Belle's relatives was found enjoying herself I really liked this building and the way it sort of steps down every few stories Many of the high rises around this park also had their own sculptures outside, whether by coincidence or design I don't know. These bunnies were popular with kids for photo ops and I liked this guy called appropriately enough "The Scarecrow" I don't know what happened to this lady but she seemed quite upset. Later that evening, I took the kids back down there so we could enjoy it with the light show as well. We saw this go by while we were waiting on our bus home Stay tuned for day 5

[Bethers]

So neat - thanks for sharing.

[Liz]

Neat places you've found!

[VickieP]

Wow, so many neat things all together. That one slide the man was sitting on was VERY steep looking. I don't know that I could have went on there either.

[Acadianmom]

St Louis looks like a great city to visit. So many things to do. The Arch looks so skinny don't know how it stays up. I'm not crazy about high places so don't know if I could go up or not. For a long time I wouldn't stay above the second floor in a hotel. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

Martha

[snowball]

Have been enjoying all your pictures of St. Louis...never been there and have always wanted to
lots there never realized that...really want to go to the zoo and gardens...
Thanks for all the pictures and I was enjoying them again realized I'd not made any comments!
thank you so much for taking us on the trip as well
sheila

[Nasoosie]

I had no idea that St. Louis had such fun things to offer! I love the tour!

That huge statue of what you thought was a grasshopper was a preying mantis-----I know because one summer I raised ten of them from an egg case to adults. I still have a locket with Manny and Tissy pictures inside of it! My friend and I even held a preying mantis carnival in my back yard when we were in the 6th grade! Ahhhhh.....the memories!

Thanks for all those neat pics!

[kelpie]

Soos,Being around elementary school kids helps you remember that stuff - my baby is in college, so I forget. It was a very fun city and I was pleasantly surprised. Martha, the Arch is much wider than it looks from a distance. Look again at the picture of me at the base of it. Vickie, the man on that steep slide had a little girl who would NOT be persuaded to go down even though her mom was waiting at the bottom. I am glad you all enjoyed your tour as well. i always love it when others share where they have been and usually get ideas for stuff I'd like to see...someday.

[Redetotry]

Kellie next time to come this way and it isn't so hot let me know I'm a couple hours from STL. Too bad you were there in the middle of the heat wave we've had most of the summer. There are lovely wineries very close to STL and most have huge facilities for outdoor concerts and most all have good food & bands all weekend. I was surprised to hear friends from out East who thought wineries only had little stores to sell wine at the vineyards but here it is a real destination to do the wine trails especially in the fall .
Thanks for all the pictures, I saw places I didn't know about!

[sharon]

Yeah, Thanks, Kellie! I thought I had posted on some of your posts, but guess I didn't. What a great city! I didn't know STL had all of that stuff...need to go there.

[bluepinecones]

I have so enjoyed your tour of St Louis. Last (and only) time I was there was in the 1960s; what a change. I hope to see the city again, thanks to you.