More St. Louis-Forest Park, Fast Eddy's, Confluence Park and Chain of Rocks

Forest Park was the site of the 1904 World's Fair. It is now a city park housing the zoo, an art museum, a history museum, a science museum, a golf course and city park.

This is the Museum of Art today. It is said to be the only building still standing from the World's Fair of 1904.

Here is a picture of what the World's Fair looked like in 1904. Driving around the grounds today it is hard to imagine what it would have been like with all the luxurious buildings which were built for the World's Fair.

The St. Louis Zoo is free and is a very good zoo. I'm sure we did not see all of it and we spent several hours there. This leopard was just enjoying the sun and watching the people as we were watching him.

I didn't know camels lost their hair in the spring. This one looks like something out of Steven Spielberg's animated movies. Maybe this is where he gets his inspiration.

I guess the leaves up higher are more tender.

At first no one could figure out what the orangutans were eating, but it was popsicles, frozen in water bottles.

Fast Eddy's is an eatery where you have to experience to understand. Even on a rainy day it was standing room only, even outside. Although it really is a bar, and you have to be 21 to enter, they do serve food. Half pound hamburgers are $.99. Shrimp are $.25 each. And their drinks are even reasonable. They believe quantity is better than high prices.

About 30 of us descended on the place one rainy afternoon.

From the outside it doesn't look like much...

More of our group.

But is really quite spacious. This is outside with a canopy. They have live music in the afternoons and evenings. I would hate to be there when it was crowded.

Confluence Point is where the Missouri flows into the Mississippi. This picture is how it should look normally.

But with all the rains, this is how it looked the day we were there. Both rivers were above flood stage. The point is actually out beyond the trees.

When it is not flooded, you can walk right out to the point. This picture was taken by Max several years ago.

Chain of Rocks Bridge is the old Route 66 Highway. Today it is a pedestrian and biking trail only. It is called Chain of Rocks because of the limestone ridge which runs across the river. Because it kept boats from traversing upstream, this is one of the first places where a canal was built for ships to go around.

Again, much of the area was underwater because of the flooding.

On one side of the river you are in Missouri and the other side of the bridge you are in Illinois.

Some memorabilia along the mile long bridge.

That is supposed to be a parking lot, but now it is underwater.

These were built about 1910 and were used for water intake for the city of St. Louis.