Saint Louis, Missouri

I've heard it called "Misery" by some, and pronounced "Mizzourah" by others but whatever the case, I am here...and its capital, Saint Louis, is very nice. Folks talk about some arch or something like that which is supposed to be famous, but to me, the number one attraction to see while in in Saint Louis are the beautiful Budweiser Clydesdales! They live here at the Anheuser-Busch brewery and live better than some people. The story of Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch, two German immigrants and how they partnered to create Budweiser beer is very inspiring and a testament of how these two and countless others like them came here, worked hard, and made it. I love these kinds of stories, and it didn't hurt that theirs in particular came with free beer samples.

The iconic seal of the Anheuser Busch company.

The Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1966, because of the company's importance in the history of beer brewing and distribution in the United States. The landmarked area includes 189 structures spread over 142 acres, including many red brick Romanesque ones "with square crenelated towers and elaborate details." The Brew House, built in 1891-1892, is particularly notable for its "multi-storied hop chandeliers, intricate iron-work, and utilization of natural light".

The stable looks more like a cathedral and houses some of the almost 200 Clydesdales. Others live on Grant's Farm, formerly owned by President U.S. Grant.

Onc of two wagons on station in the stable. Each horse's tack is individually hand made especially for him and he is the only horse who wears it.

The famous dalmatian fire dog. This little guy has the run of the entire brewery.

At the end of the tour, everyone of legal age gets to sample a cold bud. They seem to taste better here for some reason.

And for all you sticklers who only care about the arch, here it is from the Illinois side of the Mississippi. I confess, I stole- I mean, I borrowed this picture off the internet because it was raining as I was leaving St. Louis and my picture was not as good as this one, although the angle was pretty much the same. Very impressive. Even in the rain it was shining brightly. Very pretty.