Discovery can be fun and once again I was reminded of just how we take for granted the area around us. With St. Louis being the gateway to the west this area is particularly rich in things to see and do. My parents were here visiting and having seen all the major attractions in St. Louis it was time to find something new to see. Looking at the map I saw a state historical site listed about an hour south of here so away we went. I had heard mention of Fort de Chartres before but wasn’t expecting much. Was I pleasantly surprised! The place was magnificent and I was sorry I hadn’t visited before. I mentioned that fact to one of the park staff and she remarked that many people say the same thing when they visit. I’ve mentioned the place to a few friends who have lived here all their lives and none of them had ever visited. The same thing with the Cahokia Mounds, less than 10 miles down the road from where I live. Interstate 55 runs right by the place yet many people here in the St. Louis region have never visited or even know what the place is.
That brought back memories of living in England. I don’t think there was a weekend that went by the family and I didn’t go out sight seeing, knowing that we had to take advantage of our time living there. We saw sights and places that most of the locals didn’t even bother visiting, or even knew about. I’ve been guilty of the same thing now that I’ve settled down but not anymore. Now I’m diving into Google Earth and with the Panoramio layer enabled I’ve been discovering places here in the St. Louis region that I will be exploring when I can find the time. So the next time you’re looking for something to do take out the map or fire up your favourite mapping software/site, find somewhere that looks interesting and go visit. Who knows what you will find, but that is the whole point isn’t it?
[tags]history, Fort de Chartres, Cahokia Mounds, St. Louis, Illinois, maps, travel, adventure[/tags]