Every single page in this blog is intended to describe either an interesting place I've visited, or an interesting thing that's happened to me, or both. Therefore my journey from Austin to St Louis - Amtrak ride, lunch in Fort Worth, another Amtrak ride, motel in Oklahoma City, Greyhound ride, quick stop in Tulsa, Greyhound ride, motel in Springfield, and another Greyhound ride - will be passed over entirely without comment, other than to say that I shan't be returning to any of those places.
(I was tempted to say a word about Oklahoma City's most famous contemporary resident, but...ain't nobody got time for that!)
St Louis is definitely not on the standard backpacker itinerary. There's only one hostel, and I'm in it. I have a dilapidated 14-bed dorm to myself; the toilet has a 'Knock Before Entering' sign in place of a lock; the bookshelf includes 'Europe On $10 A Day 1978/79'; and when I asked for the wi-fi password I was given the name of a bar across the street, whose wireless network is unsecured and can be accessed near the windows on that side of the hostel. This area, called Soulard, is a shabby-genteel collection of churches and tall red-brick houses which was probably once quite desirable but now seems to be in slow decline, under the irresistible pressure of what we might delicately describe as 'demographic changes'.
The St Louis Arch, for which see pictures below, is the tallest man-made monument (as opposed to building) in the world. I didn't know that until I got here, nor did I know that you can actually go up to the top inside it. The view from the top is probably not for vertigo sufferers, whereas the journey to the top is most definitely not for claustrophobes: five people sit hunched in an enclosed spherical capsule no more than five feet in diameter, and I estimate that at least 10-15% of Americans would not be able to get through the door at all. No doubt the staff have specific guidelines of tact and discretion for dealing with such misfortunes, hopefully involving quiet words at the ticket-buying stage rather than post-humiliation refunds.
After Texas it might perhaps have been expected that I would continue east to New Orleans, and on through the Deep South. I'm definitely going there one day, but I don't really have enough time left to do it properly in this trip, and anyway I'm already getting a bit worn down by heat and humidity. Hence the detour up north through the Midwest, to get a different perspective on the Mississippi river. I've had some more marvellous food (see below) and also I have a smattering of new beer recommendations: Shock Top Belgian White, Odell 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Bell's Oberon, Ska Modus Hoperandi and Civil Life Brown Ale. More to follow next time, as you might expect.
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| The St Louis Arch, seen from the north west |
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| Looking out west over St Louis, from the top of the Arch. That's the St Louis Cardinals baseball stadium to the left of the picture.
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| Edd vs Food #3 French toast, with soft cheese and syrup, plus eggs & bacon and coffee. The breakfast of champions. At the Cracker Barrel Café in Springfield, Missouri. |
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| Edd vs Food #4 From the Over/Under Sports Bar on Washington & 9th: the best burger I've ever had, complete with waffle fries. The world definitely needs more waffle fries. |
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| Edd vs Food #5 Kebab from the Soulard Gyro & Deli, 2022 South 12th St, St Louis. Not quite in the same league as Kebabalicious in Austin, but still good enough for me to have one for breakfast two days in a row. Yes, kebabs for breakfast. I am what I am. |
