Gateway to the West

We had some time before we needed to get ready for the wedding so we decided to see the St. Louis Arch. Which we found out is called the "Gateway to the West" after Louis and Clark set off to explore the western United States from this area of the Missouri River.

It is quite impressive up close. It is also thinner than I expected. You can travel to the very middle of the arch.

Just a cool artistic picture.

This is the tram system for getting up to the top of the arch. It is a little pod that five people can fit in (as long as you are all medium to small in size). It is a cramped ride up to the top. When we made our way to the top we had three older people riding with Heather and I. One of the gentleman started giggling like a little school girl about halfway up. The laugh was either one of those laughs that people make when they are really nervous and don't know what else to do or one of those that a crazy person might make before killing someone. Lucky for us it was the former and not the later.

A view from the top. That is a helicopter pad in the Missouri River.

Busch Stadium where the Cardinal lose to the Brewers.

What people look like from the top of the arch. I am pretty sure my mother would never attempt to get to the top of the arch as she is afraid of heights.

Edward Jones dome where the Ram lose to the Packers.

Underneath the arch they have a large museum on Lewis and Clark and the founding of our country. It was really interesting but we didn't have much time before the wedding so had to bypass most of it. They had a wall with a carving of the main contributors for designing the arch and also the other great sites of the United States. In this picture is Mt. Rushmore, the Washington monument, and other that I can't quite make out.

The other side of the carving. The picture don't do it justice.