Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO

This morning I drove further South to St. Louis. By the time I arrived in the mid-afternoon it was 91 degrees. On the last day of September. What’s wrong with this picture? And the heat dome is expected to last for a few more days.

Fortunately, by the time I ventured out at 4 PM, a breeze was mitigating the heat a bit. I took a quick walk out to the Arch just to get the lay of the land. I was last in St. Louis in 2014 for a meeting. But of course I saw none of the city. At that time we stayed in a Drury hotel. Walking around, I now understand that the Drury hotel chain is to St. Louis what Star$s is to Seattle - there seems to be one on every corner.

The Courtyard at which I am staying is a welcome relief from the run-down Residence Inn at which I stayed in Des Moines. This property is well maintained, clean and comfortable. St. Louis, in general, has a very different vibe from Des Moines. I’m not exactly sure why, but Des Moines felt rather depressed and lifeless; St. Louis feels vibrant and full of life. I look forward to enjoying my couple of days here.

I will start tomorrow with the now requisite history museum.