Briefly passing through St. Louis

Downtown view from across the Mississippi

No one in their right mind can claim that a 3 day work-visit to any city allows any ample time to explore what the locality has to offer.  Yet, I have never made any personal sanity claims, especially when it comes to travelling.  Those who “suffered” through many a similar ordeal in the past, would tell you that I can squeeze a lot of sightseeing in a very short amount of time; let’s just say I’ve developed a rather unorthodox, highly non-scientific method of compressing time: do a lot of research in advance, walk fast, and take plenty of pictures so you can “take it all in” later, when it’s all over.  So let’s see what came out of a 4-hour afternoon in St. Louis…

First off, some general impressions:  As a metro area, it’s bigger that most (18^th in the country, according to statistics) but at the turn of the 19^th century it was as high as 4^th on that list.  It clearly had something to do with the Westward expansion and the Louisiana Purchase (more on that in a bit)… Traces of history are clearly present and well preserved throughout, especially in the downtown area, where most of the old buildings have been turned into office space, upscale restaurants and swanky lofts.  Gentrification they call it… 

Like in any city of that size, there’s plenty to do, so we had to choose wisely on a dreary Wednesday afternoon where clouds and fog denied us a nice panoramic view from the top of the Gateway Arch… The one slight disappointment on an otherwise enlightening afternoon…

First stop, Pappy’s – a BBQ icon according to the locals; St. Louis [dry] style, that is.  They consider it sacrilegious to put anything on in, so the sauce is only served on the side.  I thought I had a pretty killer recipe for a “dry rub” myself, but theirs clearly lived up to all the hype!  It must be all that overnight smoking over apple or cherry wood… or the state-of-the-art smoker… Oh, and the guy who owns the place doesn’t believe in re-heating BBQ, so closing time means they ran out of meat for the day (which happens around 7 or 8 pm).  The verdict: it was a close second to what I had years ago at Dreamland in Birmingham, AL.  So good – in fact – that my colleague (a Yankee from NY) bought one sandwich “to go”.  You could imagine the reaction of the passengers on that flight to LGA when he opened the bag!

Pappy's "smoker on steroids" - smelled fantastic!

From there, a few miles down the road we stopped by the St. Louis Cathedral.

 

Built in the early 1900’s and named after King Louis IX, it was designated a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in ’97; a glorious edifice, not only for the architecture, but the mosaic installation, the largest in the world, apparently.  Someone with plenty of time to spare allegedly counted the glass and ceramic pieces: 41.5 million!! (the pamphlet mentioned 7,000 different colors, covering over 83,000 sq. feet, contributed to by 20 different artists).  

 

...see the little shrine at the bottom?
(under the 3rd portal)

...this is the close-up of that shrine (all mosaic, of course)

I know... Picture-taking got a little out of hand in there... but the pics taken with my camera  phone don’t do it justice, so I urge you to go to their website: http://www.cathedralstl.org/ for a closer view to reality...

Truly a highly spiritual work of art in every sense of the word...

The next stop – pretty much mandatory on any St. Louis itinerary: the Budweiser tour.   The place where it all started, back in the mid-1800’s, where a local brewer [Eberhard Anheuser] and his son-in-law [Adolphus Busch, who had a knack for marketing and logistics], combined to lay the foundation for what today is known as the [self-proclaimed] King of Beers.  The irony of it is that Adolphus spent years throughout Europe to learn and experiment with brewing techniques, only to come back and create – what I, in my humble opinion, consider to be – a watered-down version of the brewed drink, which in most of the ‘old world’ would not even pass up as an ‘alcoholic’ beverage.  But then, again, that’s not what it’s all about; they don’t sell a quality product [personal opinion, again] but they do an excellent job marketing the hell out of it, and that’s what Americans buy.  As much as you want to disagree with me, you know it’s true!  Simply put, someone who learned a great deal about beer chose to disregard quality and produce something that the American public in general would actually prefer …

As a quick sidebar to prove my point: the aforementioned Yank made an interesting comment when we were in the Clydesdales barn: “… big strong horses to represent the American beer”.  He got a little deflated when I told him that the breed is actually Scottish! And that “American beer” is a misnomer.  Yes, there are more and more microbreweries that produce quality beer, but they all use German, Belgian or British techniques… Yet, giving credit where credit is due: that is where ‘America’ has an award-wining recipe: take the best from around the world, bring it / them here, add a dash of the land of opportunity “spin”, a solid scoop of consumerism, and voilà:  you’ve got an American winner!  That said, in recent past that [land of opportunity] feel is turning more and more into the illusion of opportunity - sort of like Budweiser’s illusion of being the King of Beers…

But I digress…

Another big plus: the tour was free (as any self-respecting company promoting their own product should do).  Back in Atlanta, another global consumer icon (yep, Coca-Cola) charges a $12 to $16 admission for pretty-much the same thing.  Shameful, if you ask me! 

If the Budweiser tour is a must do, the Arch is mandatory.  Unfortunately, the weather conditions didn’t cooperate, so the “elevator/carousel” ride to the top of the structure – 630 feet above ground – did not allow for any panoramic views.  What a pity!

Built in the mid 60’s, the Arch is part of the larger Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and it’s been erected not far from where Lewis and Clark began their expedition, as a follow-up to the Louisiana Purchase.  History books have wasted a lot of ink on that subject; my opinion is a bit different:  “The Little Corporal” (Napoleon that is) was cash-strapped and needed to finance his England invasion [never got there, as you know].  He squeezed the Spanish into ceding the Louisiana territory (some up front, some under the table) only to turn around and sell it to the U.S. for 3 cents per acre (42 cents in 2011-equivalent dollars)… Boy, was he desperate… What a bargain!  Then, Jefferson sent out Lewis and Clark to actually get a feel for what his money bought him… The rest is more or less in those books I mentioned earlier.  The alternative (if you’d allow me): a bigger French-speaking territory, not just Quebec, or a larger section of North America where Spanish is the primary language (wait, that’s already true, at least in Texas, New Mexico and California)… Funny thing, history, huh?!?

Back to the Arch, though. 

Impressive structure.  Tallest man-made monument in the U.S.  And the carousel / elevator that transports up to 40 people at a time (8 capsules / 5 seats each) makes for an interesting [if slightly claustrophobic] ascent.  On a clear day, the observation deck at the top provides 30-mile views.  We just weren’t lucky, with clouds and fog essentially shrinking that distance to almost zero… Yet, the whole thing was pretty impressive, nonetheless… I mentioned that already, didn’t I? Oh, well… maybe next time I’ll get to see the panorama as well …

The observation deck at the top
...
and below, the "claustro-capsule" carousel that takes you there 

Across the street from the hotel:
 the home of last year's "World" Champions
(for  that is a truly world-wide competition, indeed...is it?)

A brighter view of the same landmark

*     *     *     

Well, that’s it.  A quick run through St. Louis at the speed of … ehmm… “Adrian”.  Wish I had more time for other attractions… But if you want to experience its essence, follow this itinerary and you’ll be pleased.  Make sure you set aside a whole day, though, in case you can’t keep up this pace…

This one is "borrowed" from the web, but I liked it!
Thought it would make a nice ending...

Another Year Wiser ?

As another year draws to a close, some personal reflections in verse form to give you something to smile, contemplate upon, or frown about. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

                             *  *  *  *  *

Alas, another year full o’ “treasures” we’ve ammased

(For some, a dreadful struggle… for some, a real blast…

For some, a happy “welcome”… and some, an ending “last”…)

. . .

Some liberties we took, or risks perhaps we passed;

“– Au contraire, mon cher” (some would frown, aghast).

And often times, without an aim we’d drift, as just

In stormy seas, a vessel with a broken mast,

Compassless and stranded in the infinite vast,

Not fretting that each moment could be our very last.

But still, we forge ahead, unweavering, steadfast,

Yet, in the minds’ dark shadows, where doubts are often cast,

There’s always something there to remind us of…

“The Past.”

A past that’s far, a past that’s close, or one somewhere…… halfway

Why do we really drag its burden, anyway?

Why do we let it change the black or white to gray?

. . .

It’s done.  Forget it; and move on. (forgive me the cliché)

“– Can run from it, or learn [from it],” Rafiki used to say

‘Cause in the end it’s nottin’ but an odd dream gone astray.

Yes… dwelling on that past, will always make one pay;

Would cause the soul to wither, the spirit to decay…

Then why, my dear friend, why not push that away?

For all we have to guide us, and blindly to obey

Is but a simple rule: let “light” show you the way!

So live a little “louder” this fragile little miracle we simply call…

“Today”

Today it’s time to turn the page and tell the past: adieu

Plenty a chance you’ve had – I hope – its lessons to review,

And some of it (if you’re like most) wish that you can redo…

. . .

For life – they say – would be much simpler, the future if we knew;

If crystal balls would grant us that ‘travel-in-time’ view.

Yet “life” and “simple” go togheter like fire and ice do!

And “good” and “bad” will always hit you, straight out of the blue!

Stop searching for tomorrow, aimless and without clue.

“– But that’s what makes it worth it”, would claim a voice or two.

To them, I say: “– Live every moment… (knowing there are few)

As it’s the only memory you’ll one day take with you!”

So dive in the deep end, eyes closed, and thoroughly embrace

“The New”

Never forget this Past year, try to learn from it,

Cherish the birth of Christ, Today… let your soul uplift,

And make the brand New year knocking at the door, a trully happy gift!

Ion Minulescu - Inner Dialogue (De vorba cu mine insumi)

       
In response to a recent challenge (or was it a "dare") from Mara Circiu - a dear friend who proudly carries the Romanian cultural heritage torch wherever she goes, in whatever she does - I took on Minulescu... Well, I must confess, this translation was a lot tougher than I thought; not only because poetry inadvertently loses meaning and content in any translation, but mainly because his symbolism leaves so much to interpretation...So how does one translate literary ambiguity? (Especially one that's an amateur in the field?).

Maestro, if you're frowning from above, I apologize... yet if you're smiling, I hope I did it justice.

... (a humble servant of the craft)...

De vorbă cu mine însumi Vorbesc cu mine însumi, cum aş vorbi c-un frate Întors rănit din lupta cu zilele de ieri, Şi parcă tot nu-mi vine să cred că n-am dreptate - Că El şi Eu nu suntem decât acelaşi frate, Şi-aceeaşi rană-i doare pe ambii scutieri. Armurile alt'dată pătate de rugină Azi par mai sclipitoare decât oricând, Iar spada, Încrucişată-n luptă de-atătea ori, E plină De sângele netrebnic al celor ce cad prada Aceluiaşi proteic şi veşnic Torquemada. Vorbesc cu mine însumi şi-mi zic: - De ce mă minţi De-atâţia ani de-a rândul că tu eşti cel mai mare Din toţi îmblânzitorii cohortelor barbare, Că-n gestul tău palpită străvechile altare, Iar vasta catedrală, zidită de părinţi, Cu-ntreaga-i melodramă de Dumnezeu şi sfinţi, O poţi schimba-ntr-o clipă, De nu ţi-ar fi ruşine De bărbile lor albe, De mine Şi de tine? Vorbesc cu mine însumi şi-mi zic: - De-atâţia ani, De când mă porţi spre-acelaşi sublim necunoscut, De ce mă minţi cu-aceleaşi îndemnuri de temut Şi-mi profanezi credinţa cu-acelaşi prefăcut Surâs - Citit pe buze de josnici curtezani? De ce din armonia supremelor cântări Azi nu se mai aude decât grozavul urlet Al celor ce se-neacă în descărcâri de tunet Departe,-n cine ştie ce profunzimi de mări!... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mă simt aşa de singur, c-aproape-mi este frică Să mai vorbesc cu mine, Şi-mi zic: - Ascultă, frate, Ascunde-ţi rana, Uită c-ai fost rănit şi tu - Tu, ce-ai strivit atâţia ce nu se mai ridică - Te scutură de greul armurii-nsângerate; Iar celui ce te-ntreabă de-ţi sunt sau nu-ţi sunt frate Răspunde-i: "Nu".

Inner dialogue I babble by myself, as talking to a brother Who injured has returned from fights with yesterday, And still, I do not doubt  that I am wrong, but rather - That Him and Me are not but  the same brother, And the same wound both squires hurts today. The ancient armors, long’go stained by rust Brighter than ever seem to shine today, And crossed, So many times in fights, the sword, Was thrust And drenched in bloody victims falling prey To gruesome Torquemada’s autos-da-fé. I babble by myself and I say: - Why this deceit you knit Year-o’er-year that you’re the biggest one (of sorts) Among all tamers of barbarian cohorts, That in your touch an ancient altar-flame resorts, And that the vast cathedral, by forefathers built, With all its melodrama of God and angels quilt, In just an instant you could change, Had you been not ashamed with guilt Of their white beards, Of me And thee? I babble by myself and I say: - For all these years in a row, Of guiding me to the sublime unknown, Why lie to me with exhortations to atone My faith profaning with that facetious-prone Smile - Which lowly, cheating scum would show? Why from harmony of the ol’ gospel tone Today I hear just the horrid screams and yaps Of those who drown in noisy thunder claps Afar, in murky ocean depths unknown! ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I feel so very lonely, that I am quite afraid To babble with myself, And tell me: - Brother, listen, Hide your scar, Forget that you were hurt and thou - Who countless souls to crushing death have laid - Shake off the blood-stained armor’s heavy bother; And to the one who asks whether I am your brother Tell him: "No".

Notes and references:
Ion Minulescu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minulescu
                                http://www.romanianvoice.com/poezii/poeti/minulescu.php
auto-da-fé:         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-da-f%C3%A9
Torquemada:    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%C3%A1s_de_Torquemada

Niagara Falls (among others)

An invitation from new friends made over the summer, coupled with an old desire to visit the famed Niagara Falls, plus the chance to reconnect with a high school pal 21 years later, and the opportunity to get out of the house once more before autumn hits, adds up to – you guessed it – a quick trip north of the border to Canada.  Southern Ontario, to be exact.

Just across the river from Detroit, the area around Windsor – the most southern city in Canada – claims to be the country’s automotive capital.  Sure enough, there seems to be a Ford, GM or Chevy assembly plant or parts facility at every turn.  And in tune with southern hospitality, we were very well received by our dear friends in Belle River, right on the edge of Lake St. Claire.  [by well received I mean pulling all the stops, all the way to the ‘best stuffed cabbage rolls’ my daughter ever had and fresh polenta (mamaliga) prepared at 4 AM;  true connoisseurs of this culinary delicacy would fully understand what a warm welcome this was!!].

Toronto barely noticeable in the background...

Next day, the 3.5 hour drive to Niagara Falls cut through Ontario Wine Country, which in my innocence [or ignorance, sure…] I knew nothing about.  Apparently, however, the area winemakers produce high quality wines (which makes sense, given the optimal climate).  The ultra-sweet Ice Wine (made from grapes frozen while still on the vine) is quite a delicacy and comes with a hefty price tag (due in part to the harvest conditions and the relatively reduced production).  Other varietals – red and white alike – can easily compete against the best of California, Germany or France.  Next time it would surely be worth a stop.

View of the Falls from the hotel balcony

The Niagara Falls itself is a solid 10 on the “WOW” scale.  Sure, there’s all the cheesy, touristy stuff one would expect around this beautiful natural setting – after all, commercialism recognizes that after a few minutes the jaw retracts but the hand has to keep reaching for the wallet (back to that aspect later) – but the experience is definitely one for the ‘bucket list’.

By sheer magnitude, it is impressive.  And if it looks so from a distance, the effect is exponentially enhanced the closer you get to it.  And close to it you can get (all for the appropriate fee, of course).  Yes, the Maid of the Mist (the local 165 year old monopoly when it comes to navigating by boat right under the Horseshoe’s drop) gets you as close as you can imagine.  Plastic ‘raincoat’ and all, you’ll still get drenched no matter what.  And the deafening noise, the curtain of water dropping at an amazing 600,000 gallons/second, swirling wildly under the boat, leave no doubt about the fact that only a true miracle can save anyone that manages to be caught in the plunge.  Quite frightening, actually.  The ever-present rainbow, however, makes for a guaranteed Kodak moment.

US Side - American Falls and Bridal Veil

The Maid of the Mist against the Horseshoe Falls 

The Maid of the Mist venturing under the Horseshoe

That ever-present rainbow...

Skylon Tower

For those wishing to get even closer, or get a different perspective, there are other options as well: the Cave of the Winds walking tour on the American side (where every spring an intricate wooden structure of scaffolds and stairs is assembled, only to be dismantled in the fall – you’re right… ice would destroy it otherwise) gets you right under the Bridal Veil.  The Journey Behind the Falls, on the Canadian side, gives you access to a couple of platforms and tunnels behind the Horseshoe. 

From the ground level, only a few short feet and a railing that’s not much taller than the average 8 year old separate you from the raging 20 miles/hour current that is barreling down the 175 feet drop.  And then, there’s the top view from the 520-feet tall Skylon Tower… the Merry-go-Round… the multiple ‘Falls-View’ restaurants at the top of every hotel in the area… etcetera… etcetera…I’m sure they’ll think of many other ways to exploit the view in the near future.

Right under it all...

A "little" wet...

Fireflies?

...or fairies?

Light show over the falls (from the Skylon Tower)

Despite all that, IT IS a pretty impressive natural monument!  Light-shows and fireworks at night add another dimension to it altogether.

At ground level again, there’s every tourist gimmick, trick and trap in the book:  Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Wax Figures Museum, Dracula’s Castel [yeah, that’s right!], arcades, mini-golf, water park (a big indoor one to maximize year-round revenue), cheap [meaning quality, not price] souvenir shops… you name it, it’s there.  All ‘loud’ (both to the ear and the eye), cheesy, overcrowded, chromatically uncoordinated, a distasteful [mad] man-created ‘cacophony’ of sound, color and style, in complete and utter contrast to the natural wonder on display only a few hundred yards away…

Every hotel and restaurant chain is present.  A couple of casinos as well, just to keep the adults busy.  You’d have to venture quite a bit off the beaten path in order to find some peace and food choices above par.  But that’s always good advice around any heavy tourist setting: wonder off a few blocks.  We stumbled upon such a place where an older Greek (her) - Italian (him) couple ran a decent ‘Mediterranean’ place.  Sandstone I think it was called…Yet, in the end, I’m not sure if it was as much the food (still very authentic), the wine (from the local Ontario vineyards I mentioned earlier) as it was the company: making new friends and reconnecting with a high-school buddy I have not seen in 21 years.  Pretty much one of those Master Card ‘priceless’ moments!

...and new!

Old friends...

Noroc!

21 years later ... on the other side of the world...

Earlier that day, the kids enjoyed the Marineland amusement park; with countless rides, dolphin, walrus, sea-lion, killer whale shows, a mini-zoo, the whole ‘nine’ , which proved to be a lot more fun than the ‘stupid waterfall’.  Case in point that the local entertainment-providers are hitting the right chords with a certain demographic.  After all, what normal kid wouldn’t rather play while vacationing in Niagara Falls?!?  And what adult wouldn’t rather contribute a few dollars to the Canadian economy while rolling dice, flipping cards or clicking buttons?  Need another clue?  No?  I didn’t think so!  ;-)

Miniature 'Davy Crocketts'

But with all that (or maybe because of it) people visit every year in millions; 28 or so last year alone.  And despite it all, it is worth the trip.  Once.

An old tram downtown Toronto:
a throwback to Romania, circa 1975

A little over an hour north, around the tail end of Lake Ontario you’re in Toronto – the biggest city in Canada, the economic engine of the country.  I can’t provide much commentary since we barely passed through, with the obligatory stop at the CN Tower and a nice early dinner at a very authentic Chinese restaurant.

The city itself has a very European metropolitan feel to it.  High-rise apartments (expensive from what I hear), plenty of attractions and the proximity to the water give it a nice character [I’m partial here, since - for me - even a ‘dump’ that’s by the water has character] …

Driving into downtown Toronto

The CN Tower: you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all:  whether it’s almost and identical copy (Space Needle in Seattle) or giving you a similar perspective from up high (Sears Tower, Empire State Building, etc.), every major city has a similar tall structure that allows vistas from the top.  This particular one just happens to be the 5^th tallest in the world (and apparently tallest in the western hemisphere).     Still, it’s another one of those places where once is enough… apologies to our friends for making them ride up with us (I feel for people in the Toronto area that have to do that every time friends are in town ;-)

There.  Southern Ontario in a [small] nutshell.  A nice place to visit, but not sure about living there.  Not with the current gas prices, expensive booze and sub-zero temps [nearly] year-round.  Kudos to all of you who have adapted to those conditions!

***

PS: a million thanks to freelance photographers Laura and Mari who have enhanced the visuals for this posting.  For additional video footage check out these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ZrNOlOlYo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYboyFq7TeA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IwvHrzfGHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKwd1cTL-B4