St. Louis -- Cathedral Basilica & Gateway Arch

The next day was a Sunday so we attended mass at the lovely Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.  I was impressed by how it looked from the outside as it had that sort of medieval look, what with the arches and somewhat pointy towers.

The inside looked stunning as well, the art that were painted on the ceilings were very detailed and colourful.  The church was well lit and huge.  This cathedral is worth visiting because you can get the feeling that you're in Europe.  And maybe it's just me, but I tend to think of European cathedrals or churches in general whenever I see or go to one.  Of course the ones in Macau aren't as detailed in terms of the art and sculptures as the one below, but it still gives me that vibe, considering that it was once a Portuguese colony.

Our agenda for that day was to check out of the hotel, shop for food at Trader Joe's and visit the famous monument of Missouri which is known as the Gateway Arch.  Missouri is a wonderful city by the way, what with all their tall buildings and stuff.  I'm not sure if they can be compared to those skyscrapers in New York, but nonetheless, it's a great city!  I would definitely live there if I get the chance to do so.

We were only able to take pictures from the outside, due to the fact that there was a really long queue to go up and see the whole city from the arch.  I didn't think it mattered though because I know I'll be able to come back if ever my sister decides to move there. :)  I knew both my sister and aunt wanted to get back home asap since they had to work the next day and we didn't want to be on the road after sunset.

I definitely enjoyed my sister's company and I was a bit saddened by the fact that this was our last road trip for this year because I had to go back to Macau in two weeks (I'm back in Macau now, btw, in case any of you are wondering... I haven't really been in the mood to blog about my travels when I got back, until recently...so I'm trying my best to do them now).

Anyway, I do hope you like the pictures taken by my sister and yours truly.  Have a great week ahead everyone and hopefully someday, you can Meet me in St. Louis. :)

 

Wisconsin -- Cheese Factory/The Art Museum/The Wedding

The weather in Madison wasn't very promising.  It would've been nice if it was only chilly, but noooo it had to rain!  And I believe everyone knows that the cold + the rain won't please anyone.  However, I really can't complain though because I like cold weather!  I love wearing sweaters and jumpers and long sleeved clothing in general.  And I got to do all that in September so hoooraaay!!  If I were in Macau then, I'd be complaining about the heat.

Anyway, I'd say I'm pretty lucky to have a sister who is not one who would like her time to be wasted which is why we got to do a bunch of stuff before her friend's wedding (which was the main purpose of this whole trip).  I would just like to let you know that this blog post will probably be the longest among any of my other posts since I am reluctant to separate them. :P

Our first stop was the Cedar Grove Cheese where we got to see their little factory and got a tour out of it.  Basically, the tour enabled people to read what was on their walls including its history, how they're made and so on, so forth.  I honestly do not remember what was written on those walls because I was too mesmerized by the people behind the glass and pretty much intrigued by how they make the cheese... not to mention, I was also only interested in tasting/buying/eating the cheese.  We ended up buying some of their cheese curds which are to die for!  They were really, really good and those are what I would recommend you to get if ever you're in town or if ever you get the chance to visit them.  You can munch on them while watching a movie and it just makes a really good snack.  It also makes that squeaky sound as you chew on them which totally reminds me of the mice in cartoons. :)

We also passed by the store where we could get some sausages because my sister said they were good.  I think I've only had a few bites and they were alright, but I probably wouldn't come back for more... not unless I crave for them.

Eureka Springs -- Deer Meadow Cabin

Hiiiii everyone!  Once again, here I am trying to keep up with my posts even though I know that I'm already so far behind.  Oh well... I hope I'll be able to manage my time well in the future.  I won't be able to promise though. :D

Moving on... the weekend that followed Texas was spent with my friends whom I met in Paris.  I never thought we'd be seeing each other again after two years.  It was really nice of them to fly to Arkansas and I am grateful, for my sister drove me all the way to Eureka Springs for me to see them.  I certainly had a blast and I can honestly say that it was one of the most adventurous trips ever and I'll tell you why in a bit or the next blog post so stay tuned!

The weather was a little bit chilly when we got there and my cardigan was not thick enough, but I didn't really care because from the moment I saw my friends, I got so excited that I'd forgotten about the cool air.  I felt so giddy and happy, and at the same time things felt surreal because who would've thought we'd be having a little reunion on the other side of the globe?

First things first, let me tell you about the place we stayed at.  Steph booked this cabin called "Deer Meadow" where I shared a room with Caitlin, while Naomi and Steph shared a room.  Shannon, on the other hand slept in the room next to ours.  There were windows in each room, as well as the living room.  One could wake up, sit by the window with a cup of joe in one hand and instantly be in a good mood.  That would be my impression of the cabin.  It's definitely a place where one can relax and appreciate the beauty of nature. 

  

I just love how the place was designed as everything seemed to be where they're supposed to be.  I don't know if it has something to do with lighting or maybe it's just my point of view, but I've always thought that orange lights seem to warm up a place.  

    

If you want to escape the urban areas and be one with nature, then I'd recommend you to go to something like this.  You'll definitely be one with nature as it's impossible to get a signal/an internet connection up there (for me it was anyway).  Nevertheless, I enjoyed my stay there and would go back if I get the chance because it's just so beautiful and it's not everyday I get to have a breath of fresh air and be surrounded by trees (only because I live in Asia).

Be sure to book ahead and trust me when I say that your stay there will definitely be worth it!  Just think of the fun and experience you'll gain from going to an old town like Eureka Springs!

I hope you like the photos and stay tuned for more travel posts where I'll be posting about what we did in Eureka!

Universal Studios Orlando!

 The Hulk: the first roller coaster we rode on for the day. It was AWE-SOME!!!!

 We rode on this one too!  It was a splash thingy and it felt good!

Soooo here I am once again, trying to update you all with a new post.  And as promised, this post will be all about my adventures in Orlando, at Universal Studios to be specific.

It has always been my dream to visit Universal Studios in Orlando, mainly because of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is totally shallow of me, but I know now that I'm not the only one as my sister told me that she and her friend pretty much went there for Harry Potter too.

Now I am not a big fan of roller coasters or anything of the sort which is ironic because I love amusement parks and there's just so much to see.  But when our sister pushed us to ride the Hulk, I was reluctant to do so.  You should know that I went for it anyway and it felt good!  Ah yes!  That adrenaline rush made me feel a little bit braver for a second!  It was pretty awesome and I remember screaming so much but asked "that was it?" when it ended.  I looked as though I was in so much pain when our photo on the screen came out and we all just laughed about how we looked.  I survived my first roller coaster ride for the day but I knew that there were more to come!

The next one we rode was the Spiderman, which was a lot different than the first ride because it had 3D effects and stuff.  We walked around a lot under the scorching sun which was fine until noon came.  That's when we kept going in to the shops to hide from Mr. Sun or got on rides that had something to do with water. :D

Our next destination was of course none other than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which I'll be blogging about in my next post so stay tuned! :)

**Photos were taken by my brother, Miguel so all credits to him**