It was a very pleasant day with Eileen and Phil today.

A leisurely start and then we headed to a Best Buy so I could buy some time for internet access and so keep this wonderful web site up and running. If you are reading this then our efforts were rewarded.

Then into St Louis where we stopped at what has become a St Louis institution, the Crown Candy restaurant. They do sell candy but also the best sandwiches and yummiest deserts. Nice food, good prices and a nice environment – 50’s style. I had a nice roast beef roll and Rayls a toasted (grilled) cheese sandwich. It is a family run store and it is family policy that you have desert. I am not one to buck family policy and enjoyed a banana spilt whilst Rayls had a chocolate sundae. Very nice lunch.

Afterwards we tried to get down to the river (the Mississippi) to look around and to again look at the famous arch. Sadly due to flooding the roads were closed and so we headed to the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis (St Louis Cathedral). This is the main catholic church of St Louis and it is amazing. Over 76 years over 41 million mosaics have been placed on the walls and ceilings and it is just incredible. In 1912, installation of mosaics in the interior began. Completed in 1988, the mosaics collectively contain 41.5 million glass tesserae pieces in more than 7,000 colors. Covering 83,000 square feet (7,700 m2), it is one of the largest mosaic collections in the world. The photos do not do it justice.

Afterwards we drove around St Louis and had a good look around. We looked at the well to do areas and the not so well to do areas. Nice city. Nice gardens.

We were back home around 3pm – there had been talk of going to the St Louis Zoo, world renowned and FREE!!!! However my back has been sore whilst walking and so we will leave that one till the next time.

We chatted some more and had a simple meal of grilled burgers and the second half of my roast beef roll.

We looked at photos and chatted some more and watched the St Louis Cardinal play the Washington Nationals on TV.

Speaking of Cardinals, we saw 2 today – pretty little birds in the back yard of Eileen and Phils.

Never saw a Wal-Mart truck today but in some controversy the number of trucks has been increased by 1. We have very strict rules and one of the main rules is that both we and the truck have to be moving.  When I say we have to be moving , it is OK to be stopped in the car at traffic lights but it is not OK for us to be just walking along a road. The controversy is that yesterday when coming in to land at St Louis we saw a Wal-Mart truck!!!!! The truck was moving and so were we. After consideration we have allowed the truck we saw and the number is now 119.

It was a good day today. Tomorrow I believe we are having dinner at Fast Eddys across the border in Illinois. One more day in St Louis then onward to Phoenix.