Rock, Flag and Eagle: Day Thirty-One

I thought that the drive to St. Louis would take 4-4 1/2 hours, but it wound up being just under 3 1/2. Google's timeframes are really weird. I don't really speed, and the actual time just isn't even close. It's really strange. Whatever, it always works out to my advantage.

I had Googled "best burger in St. Louis" and found two places I wanted to try. One of them only offered burgers, though, after 10 p.m. (not really a big problem) three nights a week (that was the problem). I was left with one choice: Home Wine Kitchen.

Their cheeseburger (the only one on the menu) has roasted garlic aioli (which was delicious, even if I didn't know what it was until I asked at the end), cheddar cheese, bacon and A FRIED EGG. It was served alongside home-made potato chips. Mmmm…

Since I was trying to kill time and also trying to make this meal last me two meals, I was talked into dessert: sea salted shortbread cookies with brie cheese, fig jam and roasted almonds. There was a lot of things happening here, and most of it was really good.

My next stop -- my last stop before the Cardinals game -- was at the St. Louis Arch. Lots of pictures from different angles upcoming.

It's 630 feet tall and 630 feet wide, which is how it supports all the weight. For $10 (or $7 if you have a national parks pass), you can take a ride in a tram up to the top and look out. Of course I did that. Photos from the top:

Back on the ground, another shot of the arch.

Redwing blackbird. This bird's wing colors spread when it flew, but I couldn't get an in-focus shot. Still really good looking just sitting there.

Final arch shot.

Old courthouse where the Dred Scott case was tried.

Then I walked over to Busch Stadium, which wouldn't be open for a few hours, so I just hung around.

Weird macaroni art with a really cool warning.

There are a bunch of busts outside the third base entrance to the stadium. Here are a few:

A weird bird thing from a gift shop.

A bigger (than the other busts) bust of Stan Musial.

Stadium interior.

Where I'd wind up eating dinner. Food Network in the house!

Food shots coming later. First, bulid-a-bear in the stadium!

More stadium interior.

Cardinals' starter Jaime Garcia.

Then I got really hungry and went to get a hot dog. It actually looks kind of gross in this picture but it was pretty good: hot dog, "provel" cheese, crunched up spicy chips and BBQ sauce. (It's really good that all I do when I drive is eat apples and carrots (and now I have celery) and fiber bars and drink water, because I really mess my body up with food when I'm out of my car.)