On day two of our adventure, we spent the day reconnecting with my wife’s uncles and cousins and their respective families which was the original purpose of the trip. I had a great time meeting all of these people, what a great family.

However, on day three we set out for the tourist destinations of my youth: the Gateway Arch and the Saint Louis Zoo.  The Gateway Arch is now a national park and it is a beautiful and spacious park at the base of the Mississippi River with the historic courthouse in the background as shown in the gallery below.  Also at the base of the Arch is the Museum of Westward Expansion which seemed much grander when I was a kid but did have some animatronic characters for me to enjoy.

Later in the day we also visited the Saint Louis Zoo which was free (with a $15 parking fee, still not sure how that’s free).  The zoo seemed bigger than when I was a kid which is always a plus.  What a great day of adventuring.  Enjoy!