Midwestern Trip
Sunday, September 04, 2005
St. Louis Union Station Front Entrance
St. Louis Union Station
Train watching in St. Louis
While we were on our way to another train watching session at McCausland and Arsenal streets, we stopped by the St. Louis Art Gallery for a quick photo session. (Look how proud he wears his "Home Sweet Home Missouri" shirt)
Trains at the McCausland and Arsenal yard
The next day, we headed to downtown St. Louis in search for the elusive Route 66 medium size sign. We then headed to a pub that has a great view of the train tracks above the President's Casino at the Mississippi river.
Our original plan was to head down to New Orleans, Louisiana and visit the city. But due to hurricane Katrina, we shifted course and instead, headed west to Kansas City.
We were amazed that downtown Kansas City is very well developed. Lots of restaurants to eat at.
This is downtown Kansas City along Main street. The architecture of the city is based on Mughal (Indian) style.
But of course, we tried to have dinner at KC Masterpiece, whose home is in Kansas City. As shocking as it may seem, the waiter told us that they ran out of food! We instead had ribs at the hotel, the Holiday Inn.
This is the fountain in the park across the plaza.
This is the belfry at the corner of the plaza.
By early morning, August 29, we stopped by Kansas City Union Station for a visit.
There is a huge memorial opposite the station.
Of course, I had to wear my Belgian shirt with the picture of the Mannekken Pis statue on it in a conservative part of the U.S. of A.
Kansas City Union Station with the fountain in front.
The amazing interior of the Kansas City Union Station. The station is still a working station that services Amtrak.
A close-up view of the Kansas City Union Station ceiling
Onward we went north along I-29 through Iowa and South Dakota.
Supper time! Fargo was the choice, a small town with a wild west kind of atmosphere....the first city I noticed with a Wells Fargo sign.
Sunset over the Dakotas.
We reached Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at ten o'clock in the evening for a good night's rest.
August 29, 2005: Discovering Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Chicago had its "Parade of Cows", Toronto had its "Parade of Moose", St. Louis had its "People Project"....Winnipeg has its "Parade of Bears".
Here is me being "chumy-chums" with a Winnipeg bear
This Winnipeg bear sits in front of the legislative building
The Winnipeg Legislative Building
Toni, the tourist, meeting up with a Winnipeg tourist bear
Carrying the stones with the Winnipeg bears
Winnipeg Union Station and the waiting lounge
Stores in Train Cars and the restaurant and bridge overlooking the Assiniboine river
The perfect postcard look
The impressive ruins of the St. Boniface Cathedral at the Winnipeg French Quarter
Leaving the province of Manitoba via the Trans-Canada highway and entering Ontario, the province we call home
We wore our patriotic shirts prior to crossing the American border and we still got searched :-))
August 31, 2005: We reached Duluth, Minnesota at about eight o'clock in the evening. We had dinner along Canal Park drive and called it a night.
Downtown Duluth and the Duluth train station
Duluth High School and Duluth Public Library
South view and north-east view of downtown Duluth
The bridge from Duluth, Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin
A working farm in Wisonsin; the bluffs at Hustler, Wisconsin on our way to a cheese factory
....a farewell to Madison, Wisconsin.....(with a salute) from the steps of the state capitol
September 1, 2005: We reached Chicago from Duluth via Madison, Wisconsin. The drive took about 8 hours. We stayed at the La Quinta hotel in Schaumberg (close to Ikea!).
The train to Chicago and the view by the Chicago river
"I hate everybody and you are next" T-shirt. Either the Chicagoans laughed at it or were depressed. Certainly, it worked to our advantage when the train conductor did not charge us a surcharge for buying our tickets on-board.
This building caught my eye. Marina City parks the boats underneathe the building (a marina), parks the cars at mid-levels and parks butts (I mean, park people) in the upper levels
The water tower along Michigan Avenue (i.e. the Magnificent Mile) and the intricate works on the Chicago Tribune building
The Chicago Cultural Centre which was supposed to be the Chicago Public Library, but never became one.
The dome of the Chicago cultural centre and the marble mosaic artwork of its walls and ceiling
The Buckingham fountain of Chicago was patterned after the fountain at the Versailles palace in France
September 3, 2005: I took the Amtrak train to St. Louis which was departing at three o'clock in the afternoon. Toni drove back to Toronto, Canada at one o'clock central standard time.
The trip was fun and enjoyable. It is a prelude to more road trips in the future.
