Last Thursday (24 March), my brother Doug and his son Matteo came to town. They flew in from Los Angeles to spend a few days here with my mom and I. It was great seeing Doug, and meeting Matteo for the first time. Matteo's twin brother Luca was home with his mother (Doug's wife) Helen. My Mom went with Doug and Matteo to visit parts of the St. Louis area while I was at work on Friday.
Saturday (26 March), after some work around the house, the four of us went to St. Louis Union Station. We began with a trip to The St. Louis Wheel, a 200-foot (61 m) tall ferris wheel. This was the first time for any of us at this attraction. We got into a gondola and went on four circuits. We really enjoyed the view from the large gondola windows.
After riding on the St. Louis Wheel, the four of us walked inside Union Station to tour the St. Louis Aquarium--another new place we were visiting. After waiting in line (it was rather crowded that day), we got inside the Aquarium. Many aquatic creatures were on display, ranging from fish and otters from the rivers in our region to sharks and rays of the seas. It was very interesting to see these animals in something approaching their natural habitat and there were also interpretive displays on these creatures, their habitat, and the need to preserve them for the planet's health.
Matteo wanted to try the Rope Course, but it was sold out for the day. Doug, Matteo, and I returned to Union Station the next morning (27 March) to try the Rope Course. We were each fitted with a harness, connected to a bungee cord mounted on a rail above our heads, and began to navigate the course. It included rope bridges, tightropes, and two zip lines. I felt confident doing the course, knowing that the bungee cord gave me a secure lifeline in case I slipped on the footpaths.
The zip lines were a new experience for me. I stepped off the platform on the first line, a fairly short straight line, after assuring myself that I had this. Then, I traveled on a longer and curved zip line. It was a thrill to be sure and I felt more confident than ever going on the rest of the rope course.
Matteo also did the zip lines, but Doug didn't. (Doug told me I was a braver man than he.) We had about one hour of fun before calling it a day.
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We then returned home for a light lunch, then Doug and Matteo packed up to fly back to Los Angeles. They got an Uber ride share to St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
Last night, I officiated two under-15 girls St. Louis Youth Soccer Association (SLYSA) matches at Sportport International in Maryland Heights. After running as assistant referee in the first match, I took charge of the second one. Both went very well.
Later.
Websites of Entities Mentioned in this Post:
St. Louis Union Station: St. Louis Union Station | St. Louis, MO (stlouisunionstation.com)
The St. Louis Wheel: The Wheel at St. Louis Union Station | St. Louis Attractions (thestlouiswheel.com)
St. Louis Aquarium: St Louis Aquarium at Union Station | Missouri's New Family Destination
St. Louis Youth Soccer Association: Home - St Louis Youth Soccer (slysa.org)
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