Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Our Vacation: Day 1 in St. Louis

Ok, things have calmed a bit so that I can sit here and update you all on our vacation. I wanted to do something each day that would be fun for both kids. There is a lot to do in St. Louis, but not all of the fun things or historical sites are age appropriate. Our first full day in town, we headed out for the Museum of Transportation. I can remember going here when I was a child and hearing about Jesse James and getting fools gold at the end of the tour in the caboose. It has changed a lot since then, but it was still lots of fun. We were able to climb on some engines, look inside a caboose, learn why there are no more cabooses on the rails, and see inside a tanker car. We also rode a train replica and a cable car similar to that which used to run in downtown St. Louis. My aunt remembers taking trips in the cable car, but they were pretty much gone by the time I came along. There were exhibits on the old days of train travel showing the dining cars, the sleeper cars, and the luxury cars. The train engines were so big, even Mr. TD looked small standing next to some of them. They had a snowplow engine and a snowblower engine. They were pretty cool to see.

Since I had been there, they added an automobile section. Mr. TD loved it, they had a Willy's Jeep! They also had a 1963 Chrysler that was powered by a turbine. It was fully restored and was beautiful! They also had a display on Route 66. Princess TD and I had a short discussion about that and the Disney movie Cars, and that what we were looking at were items from actual places that existed on the Mother Road. Of course she wanted to see something from Radiator Springs, so I explained that Radiator Springs is much further west on the road than St. Louis was. Then she started singing the song..."It goes from St. Louis, down through Missouri, ..." Then she reminded me that Grammie has met they man who sings the song. I guess I can't say she never listens. (No, not John Mayer. My Mom met Chuck Berry when she and my Dad were dating.)

It was a great day and fun for all the kids involved! Here are some of the highlights!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

TD Family,

I loved the Transportation Museum pictures set to music! Good job!

Aunt D.B.