Trip Introduction
While we travelled to Italy as a gift to each other for our 15th wedding anniversary, that trip occurred later in the year. We spent a long weekend in Kansas City in June to get away for our actual anniversary.
Thursday, 06/21/2012 – Happy Anniversary
Thursday was our actual anniversary. We slept in and drove from Des Moines south along non-interstate roads. Our first destination was the Harry Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO. We enjoyed learning more about our 33rd President and the life that shaped him. The grounds were beautiful. We headed to our hotel on the east side of Kansas City before dinner.
The library maintains an eternal flame honoring President Truman
The simple main building speaks to Truman’s humble beginning
President Harry Truman and his wife, Bess Wallace Truman, are memorialized at the library
Friday, 06/22/2012 – Animals and Money
On Friday we visited the Kansas City Zoo in Swope Park. They have wonderful facilities and we enjoyed seeing the wide array of animals. Later in the day, we headed into downtown KC to visit the US Federal Reserve Bank and their Money Museum.
James’ favorite: the tigers
A red panda
A kangaroo escapes the heat of the day
A yellow crested cockatoo
A zookeeper talks about the hippopotamus
Even elephants think the grass is greener on the other side
Getting ready to see the Money Museum
Saturday, 06/23/2012 – Around KC
On Saturday we visited the Nelson Atkinson Museum of Art. We then drove by the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Kansas City Community Christian Church building. While it was not realized in the original construction, Wright envisioned a “steeple of light” using high power spotlights; the church added the lights in the 1990s and then after repairs turned them on again in the early 2020s. We then headed back home to Des Moines.
One of the few beautiful pieces we could photograph at the museum
