Southern Illinois Day 2

Today's events in a nutshell, mostly because we have to be up and at'um in 5 1/2 hours...

We slept until 12:30 Edwardsville time (10:30 our time), jumped up and rushed around since we had to meet Joanna, Stesha's potential roommate in St. Louis at 2. Luckily we were able to postpone until 2:30 because we couldn't get it together. Having your body in one time zone and being in another can be a little rough. Needless to say, we arrived at a great coffe shop, The Mud House, and had an excellent breakfast and coffee with Stesha's new potential roommate, Joanna.


After about an hour or so, we all needed to go on our way. Joanna seemed great and she and Stesha seemed to hit it off. Ironically, Joanna is an artist who checked out Portland State as one of her potential graduate programs. It was too "graphic arts" for her, so she decided on SIUE, even though she is from St. Lewis. I think this pairing has a lot of potential and Joanna is joining us tomorrow for house hunting!

Once done with coffee and chatting, Stesha and I decided to check out some of St. Louis. Since the Arch is really out there and obvious to all, we decided to make it our first stop. On our way to the Arch, which looms above the city, we passed the Anheuser-Busch bottling company. Just like so many things in this area, it is HUGE!!! No tours here, although I was impressed with Stesha's photo taking through the car window!!




Arriving at the Arch, the first thing that was noticed? It is HUGE!! We were impressed. Before we got to the Arch, we saw what looked like a drowning steel man in the river. Surely there would be an explanation, but no...nothing to be read! Ahhh well...another unique thing about this area! Token photos by the Riverfront sign, up to the Arch, and we were off!

We wanted to be responsible tourists, but although the humidity was the same at home, we decided to head back to SIUE to check out the fitness center, get another Concrete, and head home to the hotel before getting dinner...

We got a tour of the Fitness Center...which was great, then off to Annie's Frozen Custard (lovingly named FroCus by us!) for another Concrete! Yumm...so glad this is not at home..I would be getting one daily! It was pretty cool that there was live music and a crowd. Clearly an even for the evening.

After our desert, we moved to eating. This was rough since we found out pretty much everything closes at 9pm here, if open at all! we ate at IHOP (don't hate!) and went for our final even at Global...a beverage place with an array of beer brands...perfect! Overall a good day...more tomorrow!


Tomorrow is our last day...keep posted...Here are the thing we learned today!

Things learned in Souther Illinois:

1. St. Louis seems like the same side as Seattle.
2. Sarcasm is totally lost on Midwesterners.
3. Sarcasm is looks on most westerners.
4. Yay for bridges...
5. The new potential roommate is very cool!
6. Even when the humidity is the same as tomorrow no directios are given...
7. So many freeways!
8. Open containers are legal in Midwest on MO side of Mississippi!
9. Talk on the phone is ok...but not in a construction zone...

We will definitely give more tomorrow to make up for the lack of 20!!


Must go to sleep now..more tomorrow!