Happy Sunday! Last night I applied online for a Cambodian entry visa. I’m now just three months away from visiting Angkor Wat!
Today’s featured image, which comes from St. Louis, Missouri, is of a landmark that’s much more modern than a 12th-century temple complex. St. Louis’s iconic structure is the Gateway Arch, the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Completed in 1965 and rising from the west bank of the Mississippi River, this stainless steel-clad arch was conceived by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Although it was controversial when chosen as the winning entry in a design competition, in my opinion the shape of this monument (mathematically described as a catenary curve) has proven to be graceful and timeless. Here’s a view of the Gateway Arch, together with the downtown St. Louis skyline, as seen from across the mighty Mississippi.
This photo was taken during my visit to St. Louis in July 2014. By the way, you can go to an observation desk at the top of the 630-foot-high arch. That’s an experience in itself, as it involves riding a special elevator system that was ingeniously engineered to ascend in a curve.
Do you like the appearance of the Gateway Arch?
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I do like the appearance of it, it makes the city look welcoming…as if the arch is like a doorway! Congrats on getting your Visa taken care of. Visa on arrival is easy but can be a nuisance when dealing with customs.
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@Susan: I think the arch is more supposed to symbolize a gateway to the western U.S., but I suppose it could also be viewed as a portal into the city of St. Louis. It’s one of those things that takes on a life of its own, since no one’s around to remember what the planning committee originally intended the arch to represent. 🙂
My visa isn’t taken care of yet, in that I’m still waiting for email confirmation that my application was approved. 🙂 It’s always nice to get those things out of the way in advance, though.
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Love the picture and I had absolutely no idea that there was an observation deck in the arch, but it must be cool to take that elevator!
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@Constance: It’s cool to take the elevator, but also kind of scary, at least for people like me who don’t like amusement park rides. The cars (pods that each hold maybe 4 people) are really cramped, and the ride can get rickety.
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