Once again we started our day with a fabulous breakfast in the Lower Lobby, today I was a little less dressed so was comfortable through breakfast. Back to the room to don a few more layers and we're ready to spend yet another day exploring St Louis, my phone said it was -10 but feels like -18, looking out the window it looked so nice and sunny, surely it can't feel that cold?

 The plan was to check out Central West End and Delmar Loop however as my suitcase needed replacing we had to find a new one somewhere and we had postcards to put in the mail. First stop was reception where we were told there's nowhere in the CBD to buy luggage but we were given directions to the closest Walmart.. a 20 minute train ride and then a taxi.. hmmm might have to just use the broken bag. We also got directions to the Post Office which we were assured was only about 3 blocks down from the Convention Center so once we had walked the two blocks to the Metro stop at the Convention Center we decided we could walk 3 blocks more. Yes, well 3 blocks isn't that far is it? We've walked that and lots more many a time, no problem. By the end of the first block I was starting to feel the cold, by the end of the second block my eyes felt a bit like they were freezing in the sockets and by the time we got to where the Post Office was supposed to be my brain was aching.. even Rodd was feeling it by now. We walked past a few office blocks with workers out in the cold for a quick smoke, we did get some strange looks like "stupid tourists", I don't think the locals do too much outdoor walking in winter! The worst bit though was that there was no Post Office where it should have been, I whipped out my trusty iPhone to double check we were reading the map right and yes, this is where we should be. Neither of us wanted to be out in this cold anymore so we admitted defeat and headed back to the Metro stop, at least it's nice and warm down there! Didn't take long for the train to come along and we were so happy just to sit in that train in the nice warmth but just as we were starting to defrost we arrived at Central West End. We got off the train and everyone split into two groups heading to either end of the station... hmm which way should we go? Well of course I chose the wrong option so we walked the long way around to where we need to be. This is a University area so not really what I was expecting but as we walked further up the street we started to see some shops, which mainly appeared to be closed, the majority of them were actually restaurants/cafes, both of us were cold and not really enjoying this walking about in these Arctic conditions so when I saw a gift shop open I steered us inside with the idea of maybe finding a suitcase in here. Unfortunately not but I did ask the lovely young gentleman if they sold them and when he said no I told him someone had told us to go out to Richmond Heights to the Walmart... well.. you'd have thought I was swearing at him, he was horrified at the thought of going into Walmart!! He was incensed that I was given that advice especially as the Galleria is just a block or two from the train station at Richmond Heights! So we left there and headed back to the train station, along the way we passed a large water feature and noticed it was frozen solid.... brrr, how do people live in climate like this?

Ok so we had to wait for about 10 minutes for the train and in that time decided we might just give Forest Park and Delmar Loop a miss, I mean as much as I longed to see them I just couldn't bear the thought of being outside in this cold all day. Both of us were well rugged up so our bodies from the neck down were warm but we didn't have beanies, at least I had a lightweight top with hood and a scarf but poor Rodd had nothing above the neckline of his jacket and I just know he was miserable what with his aching foot and frozen head but as usual he carried on without a mumble of protest ( well occasionally over the 2 days he did have a little dummy spit but if it was me he would have been left in no doubt of my state of being!! ).... so.. anyway we decided instead to head out to the Galleria to get me some new luggage.

Off the train, back into the freezer, and just as the lovely man said there is the Galleria right near the train station.. as we walked the 2 short blocks we noticed that on the shady side of the street there was a line of ice in the gutters.. yep definitely cold. By this time I was getting a little peckish and as we walked up to the Galleria Mall I saw a Cheesecake Factory so I suggested we head in there for a hot chocolate to warm up. I've read about the Cheesecake Factory time and time again on TripAdvisor and to tell the truth I'd never really been driven to seek one out even though they get rave reviews but I'm just not that taken by cheesecake, I mean I'll eat it but I wouldn't ever actually order it if given other options! We were seated and given menus and I was a little surprised at the general feel of this place, I was expecting a more down market chain restaurant but this place is up there. The menu is ridiculously comprehensive, it takes 10 minutes just to read through it and then of course trying to decide is almost impossible. Yes I did just intend to have a Hot Chocolate but with this menu and the fact that it was actually lunchtime we just had to order something. Rodd had pizza which came with salad and I ordered crumbed macaroni cheese, look at the photo.. oh my goodness that's not at all what I expected but it was good.. The Hot chocolate had filled me up so much but also warmed me up which is why I ordered it so no I didn't finish my lunch but I did have some room for a glass of red wine with it .. of course! So full I can hardly move but we head off to find a suitcase, we found Macys and quickly managed to find exactly what we wanted, we even got a discount for being foreigners, just had to show them our passport, which of course I had in my bag.. score! On the way back through the mall we saw a Cardinals store and Rodd remembered that he'd meant to go into the shop at the Stadium after the tour yesterday so we had to go check it out. I bought a shot glass cos I'd found magnets at the Arch but they hadn't had any shot glasses. Rodd spotted a Cards jacket, I could tell by the look on his face as soon as he saw it that he loved it so I looked at the price tag fully expecting it to be hundreds but it was a very reasonable price so I encouraged him to try it on.... so he now has a new jacket that he adores, should have bought a bigger bag!!

Time to head back to the hotel for a nanny nap and rest up before heading out for the night but before we do we had to go back to the Cheesecake Factory to buy a piece of cheesecake, I mean you can't go there without trying the cheesecake! I bought a kahlua chocolate and Rodd a caramel one.. at $8 a slice better be amazing!!

 As we didn't get to the 360 bar last night I was determined to go there tonight. As always we had a plan but you know how our plans end up... we left the Hotel for a quick walk up Washington Ave to the Trolley Stop but just as we headed out the Trolley went past so now we've got 20 minutes to wait and we're sure as heck not sitting around outside so new plan is to go up to Pi Pizzeria for a quick drink .. which turned into two because even though we were timing the Trolley it came a bit early so we had to have another drink and wait for the next one! We perfectly timed the next one and rode the Trolley the couple of blocks needed to get to the 360 bar which is at the top of the Hilton. This is another place I heard from on TripAdvisor when looking for somewhere with a great view of the Arch, we didn't stay long, just had a drink, some lavash bread with dips and took some photos, it's a lovely bar with a fab view but a bit "yuppified" for us. Next we thought we'd get back on the Trolley heading back to Washington Ave but this time go past our Convention Centre stop and ride the Trolley the whole loop up and back before getting out at "our" stop and going back to Tigins Bar at our hotel for dinner and a relatively early night. As we walked out of the Hilton the cold hit us, it was way colder than it had been before and the wind was seeking out any little crack in the clothes it could find to sneek in, I'll say it again, omg this is the coldest I have ever been my entire life ... the trolley stop was about a block away and of course it passed us as we were walking so there was nothing else we could do but pop into this Sports Bar that was very close to the stop for a quick drink, we've got about 20 minutes before the next bus! Defrosted a little and with the wine starting to work from the inside out as well we braced ourselves to go back outside and our timing was pretty good cos we only had a couple minutes to wait for the bus. Now remember the plan? stay on the bus! But for some reason I saw the Convention Center and said, come on Rodd this is our stop.... in my defense he didn't argue with me, he didn't say "sit down, we're going all the way around" he just stood up and followed me off and then as the doors shut behind us he said " weren't we going to stay on up Washington?"... grrrr... I still get cranky with myself when I think about this cos I really wanted to see what there is up there, I've looked at it on Google and there looks to be lots of restaurants and bars there and yes well that was supposed to be our destination the night we arrived in town. Oh well, back to Tigins where we had a nice dinner and then up to finish packing all our belongings for our 6 am pick up to the airport. Rodd managed to eat all his cheesecake but I could only manage a taste after just having a large meal, it was pretty good but I'm not converted to cheesecake. Tomorrow Little Rock, Arkansas!