MANILA, Philippines - You must have heard about the musical “St. Louis Loves Dem Filipinos.” But there’s more to St. Louis than the much talked-about musicale about the Filipinos’ experience at the World’s Fair, more than a hundred years ago. Even more than meets the Arch, another St. Louis landmark.
In fact, this is another story about St. Louis (seint/lu/is), a very charming city named after King Louis IX of France, also known as a sports city in the Midwest. After all, it is home to the world-famous St. Louis Cardinals.
I got the chance to visit the city when my previous company sent me there for a one-month training fellowship on Experiential Marketing.
It was spring when I arrived but one could still see traces of winter on the leaves of sycamore trees. St. Louis is a pleasant, small city inhabited by more than 400,000 people (Greater St. Louis Population is 2.8 million, 2007 US Census). St. Louis is home to a notable number of African-Americans (around 50 to 60 percent of the total population). It is located 300 miles south of Chicago and north of Memphis. It still breathes a certain European air with its culture and architecture. It was founded in 1764 by the French fur trader Pierre Laclede. And who can beat it, St. Louis has produced two of the greatest icons of the 20th century—T.S. Eliot and Chuck Berry! Other famous people who are from St. Louis are best remembered through their own version of a Walk of Fame along Delmar Boulevard. The stars of Tina Turner, Chuck Berry, Tennessee Williams, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and a lot more famous St. Louis people are permanently etched there.
You’ll also hear about other world-famous attractions such as the Missouri Botanical Garden, the St. Louis Zoo, the Grant’s Farm (former US President Ulysses Grant’s cabin is still there), the Gateway Arch, or the numerous parks that adorn the city. But the real pleasant surprise for me is the International Bowling Museum wherein our very own Paeng Nepomuceno’s life-size image is prominently standing at the entrance door. Other bowling greats have their photos mounted on expensive frames but our Paeng is at the entrance, looming tall and proud. His bowling ball and Team Philippines uniform are also notably displayed near his life-size photo. I couldn’t contain the pride within me that I had to tell the unsuspecting guard that the person I am looking at is from my country, the Philippines. But I wasn’t prepared for his almost instant reaction. “I know he’s from the Philippines and he’s great, buddy. By the way, how’s Imelda Marcos?” was his instant reply. That was also echoed by the car rental driver I hired on my way to the airport. He jokingly asked if we still have a shortage of shoes, now that the Marcoses are no longer in power. I was tempted to tell him to visit SM Department Store (more than 20 million pairs of shoes sold last year, beat that!).
Food binge
Food tripping is another pastime for visitors of St. Louis. Its restaurants offer a taste of the world. Sidewalk cafés are everywhere, especially along Delmar Blvd. (in which McCann’s Momentum is housed), where you can also see charming brick houses on both sides of the street. There you can see Blueberry Hill, an old music bar owned by the legendary Chuck Berry. There are boutiques and galleries in the neighborhoods. Steakhouses, ethnic bistros and famous Italian restaurants are all in the streets. In the downtown area, you can see Clayton, The Hill, The Loop and a lot more of those little complexes with authentic international restaurants. Some even say St. Louis pizza is the best in the world!
A visit to St. Louis would not be complete without the customary brewery tour at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The brewery hosts thousands of guests and tourists everyday. The very detailed brewery tour is capped by, what else, but a hearty serving of ice-cold Budweiser, in a mall-like complex consisting of all Anheuser-Busch novelty items.
After exploring all there was to see, I could say that the people of St. Louis are a bunch of peace-loving people. They have their own share of those little bad news but not one that would merit world attention. I remember during my month-long stay there, one of the biggest news was a group of delinquent teens spraying paints on the gates of rich neighborhoods. An animal that got sick on the zoo even merited a feature in the local TV news.
They have their regular share of hailstorms and tornado landings here and there. In fact I experienced one really bad hailstorm coupled with a huge tornado landing right in the area where I was driving!
St. Louis as a whole deserves to be in the itinerary of those who want to explore the Midwest part of America. With Memphis and Chicago nearby, a US trip would certainly be more special than the usual Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York or Las Vegas. I guarantee you, as a Filipino, you will love St. Louis. Who knows, you might even catch the Cardinals playing at the Busch Stadium.
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