Columbia Car Show

The City of Columbia, is just across the Mississippi River in Illinois. Since it is south of St Louis, (& where we live) we can use the southern most metropolitan river crossing (Jefferson Barracks Bridge) form where it is only about a 10 minute drive. The car show is an annual event, but rather than being held in a car park or other purpose designed venue, the city closes the town centre for the day so that pedestrians can safely walk on the main street where the show vehicles are on display. The show was really good, partly due to the sunny, hot, weather (possibly too hot), the relaxed atmosphere, & the variety of cars & trucks on display. The local humane society was also in attendance which meant that Cheryl & Beth could have a good look at the homeless animals (mostly dogs) available for adoption whilst I looked at the cars. On our way back to our car, we stopped at the Columbia Sno Cone 'shack' so that we could cool off. So far, the snow cones that we have had in the US were made with crushed ice (with flavoured syrup) which were generally quite nice at first, but you end up drinking the syrup so that all you are left with is hard ice. However, at Columbia the snow cones were made with shaved ice. The ice is very finely shaved so it has a texture more like ice cream & it melts the instant you eat it (so you don't get any ice left over). Also, as the ice is so fine, the syrup almost becomes absorbed by the ice which means that the flavour remains throughout the entire cone. Very cool & very refreshing!