Rollin' on the River

Queen of the Mississippi

Last week the Queen of the Mississippi riverboat docked along the riverfront in St. Louis for a few days. Built in 2015 to carry 150 passengers this paddlewheeler offers various cruises up and down the Mississippi River. My friend and I went downtown Friday afternoon to take some photographs of the boat before its Saturday morning departure. I have to say that the designer did a wonderful job of replicating the look and feel of the old riverboats that used to grace the landing of St. Louis.

The Captain's Return

It was my first time getting a close up look at all the work that is going on around the Arch. The project was supposed to be finished by October 28, 2015, the 50th anniversary of the Arch completion. Whoops! It is still quite a mess in the area, but I'm sure it will be great once it's all done.  The new bike/walking lanes along the riverfront are nice, and there is now an impressive sculpture commemorating the return of the Lewis and Clark expedition on September 23, 1806.  The dog seems to be a little out of scale, or perhaps they took an English mastiff along for the ride.

I was happy to see so many people out and about enjoying the riverfront area, especially as there was a warning from Scott Air Force Base that a demonstration was supposed to take place at the Arch at 6:00 that day. We saw no signs of any trouble however.

Malcolm Martin Memorial Park

Following dinner outside at one of the restaurants on the landing, we made our way across the Martin Luther King bridge to East St. Louis, Illinois. The Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park offers some of the best views of the St. Louis skyline. I have been hoping to capture some sunset pictures, and wanted to go when I had another person with me. The area is a little remote, and we were the only two people there for awhile. When a car pulled in with two guys in it, we decided it was time to take off. Next time we will go with a group, as we felt too vulnerable. It was fun while it lasted though!

St. Louis Arch

Captain Kirby

Sunday Jim and I relaxed at a friend's lake house. Located about 45 minutes from our house, it is an easy getaway. Our friends are out of town, so it was just the three of us. (We can't go without Kirby - he loves it there!) We packed a lunch and spent the day swimming and going out on the boat. What a great way to end the week.