Are memories better than shopping?

Where would you go on a shopping spree?

The past few days have been travel days. Other than visiting gift shops for a candy or a souvenir shopping in real sense has really taken a backseat.

I blogged about my trip to the Gateway Arch National Park yesterday. I did mention that it had a Pittsburgh connection. Yes, my National Park Service app told me Lewis and Clark expedition began when a keeled boat was constructed in Pittsburgh on the banks of the Ohio river.

On President’s day holiday we walked along the frozen Allegheny river in Pittsburgh to see this historic marker. My app did mention it as a historic place. Meriwether Lewis was delayed in Pittsburgh by a drunk boat builder and he did spend seven weeks in the city.

Meanwhile he collected things and men and once ready went on to meet his co captain William Clark in Clarksville Kentucky. Now called the Falls of Ohio state park the expedition spent the winter prepping for the expedition.

Today in Kentucky me and my husband definitely got excited when we saw the same Ohio river rushing down with warning for flood posted all around.

Lewis and Clark’s first meeting place
Ohio river, Kentucky/Indiana border

The duo of Lewis and Clark officially left on their expedition of West at Camp Dubois in Illinois. They had to wait a couple of months and camped in Illinois! The confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio river was the perfect place. In remembrance of this historic expedition The Gateway Arch was built in the 1960s. So before going to the Arch we stopped at the visitor center at Camp Dubois State Park and saw the replica of the keeled boat 🙂!

The boat had sails and sometimes had to be paddled or even pushed by men.

Proud duo who accomplished a task handed over by the then President Thomas Jefferson after the United States acquired the Western land from France.

Louisiana Purchase
The mighty Mississippi

So what does this have to do with the prompt?

When the weather was cold and frozen me and my husband saw some documentaries of the above expedition! Ha Ha! That paved the way for a road trip along the Ohio river on the path of Lewis and Clark.

Yes, shopping spree need not be in a shop nowadays. It can be in the form of travel too! 😃

A souvenir that we worked hard to get!

Here is the link to my Gateway National Arch blog:

The Gateway Arch National Park

I just made a blog about our expedition and compared to William and Clark 😃! But here is a link to learn more about them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition

Okay, me and my husband love history so it worked out. My boys tagged along with us and they were not bored! Hey they do have our genes and it worked out great. 😊

Thanks to time change I am not tired and the day ended early! First time spring forward worked in my favor and I completed writing a blog which I thought I would have hard time doing 🙂🙂!

Thanks for stopping by!

8 responses to “Are memories better than shopping?”

  1. What a lovely trip, Ganga.
    Walking where Lewis and Clark once travelled must have felt very special. Sometimes the best shopping is collecting memories from places we visit.
    Thank you for sharing your journey.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. This was really special! So much memories. Thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Oh! So much of history you have assimilated. Someday you should write a travelogue. It would be fun to read. All the best for your explorations.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lewis amd Clark went on a boat all the way to the other side of the country. Maybe if our journey continues one day like them I should do a travelogue. But grateful that I was able to visit enjoy and get in this piece of history.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Your piece is a delightful blend of travel reflection, history, and personal experience. What begins as a simple thought about shopping gradually unfolds into something much richer—a journey through places, memories, and fascinating historical connections.

    I particularly appreciate the way you weave history into your travel narrative. The reference to the Lewis and Clark Expedition adds depth and context to the story, transforming an ordinary visit into a meaningful encounter with the past. Your mention of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark brings the narrative to life, reminding readers how these historic journeys began in very real places that people can still visit today.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much 🙏! History os not far away from us.

      Like

  4. Really interesting history. I’ve seenthe gateway arch in the distance when we were in St. Louis one time. My daugter & family have been up to the top, too. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A couple of years ago we did pass this place and not visit. I feel this is underrated monument and really fun to go to the top. 🙂

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