Wayback Machine: Last Stop, Shakespeare and Cahokia Mounds!

In an effort to catch up on past events here on my blog, I've borrowed the Wayback Machine to visit a few past events to share with you.  Last stop for now:  Our trip to Cahokia Mounds last weekend!

Last weekend was really fun, after getting back to normal-ish after the ups and downs of the previous several weeks, we decided to wind down and have some fun with friends.  Friday night we met up with Papa Wee and Darlene to see their cool new apartment, enjoy some delicious fried chicken (Papa's specialty) and then we went down to the St. Charles Riverfront to see a wonderful production of The Riverside Shakespeare Production Comapnys "Much Ado About Nothing."  I didn't get one darned picture, but it was a great time, and if you're in the area, I highly recommend seeing it.  It's free, just show up with lawn chairs, drinks and bug spray.  They do accept donations, and we had such fun we happily donated some cash.  If you're interested, here are the dates June 16, 17, 18, 24, and 25 @ 7:30pm
* Matinee Sunday June 26 @ 5:00pm

Saturday afternoon Dan, Tristan and I got in the car and drove out to Collinsville Il. to meet friends Moon and Soma at Cahokia Mounds.  Moon grew up right near by and knows the area well, but I had never been, so I was really excited to see it.  It was a pretty hot day, so in the heat of the afternoon we decided to take in the museum and Interpretive Center.  It was full of some amazing archeological finds and displays.  Cahokia Mounds is the largest prehistoric native site north of Mexico it covers 2200 acres and protects 70 of the 80 mounds that still remain.  Many local Pagans see it as an American sacred site, when you feel the wonderful energy of the place, it's easy to see why. 

The middle one is Monks Mound campared to the Great Pyramid.

After browsing the museum and gift shop, we made our way to Woodhenge which is part of the site.  Originally constructed around 1100-1200 AD and later restored, this wood sun calendar marks the rising sun at the Spring and Fall equinoxes and Summer and Winter solstices.  I would love to visit and watch the sun rise over the Woodhenge on one of those events!

After checking out the henge, we went back up the road to Monks Mound, the largest mound at Cahokia, and the largest prehistoric earthen construction in the Americas.  It was the center of the once great city, a huge building had once perched on it's summit where the chief lived, goverend and conducted ceremonies.  It got it's name, Monks Mound from the French Trappist Monks who lived nearby in the early 1800's and farmed the terraces of the large mound.

Going up?

In the upper right corner you can see the St. Louis skyline complete with the Arch off in the distance.

It's quite surreal to be atop this huge mound looking out at nature and seeing the St. Louis skyline, Arch and all, off in the distance!  Could the Missisipian People have ever imagined such a thing from this vantage point?  Anyone who longs to see a prehistoric sacred site should be delighted to know that this one is smack in the middle of the country and free admission to boot. 

Overlooking the view from the top.

This was at the top of the mound, we laughed that it should be at the bottom!  But of course, they don't mean the stairs.

The whole crew!

Moon and I getting ready to go back down.

After our hike up the mound, we returned down and Moon and Soma showed us to a great little Mexican Cafe nearby.  The atmosphere was homespun and the food was out of this world, I thought I was back in Albuquerque for a minute there.  We sipped our Mexican import glass bottles of Sprite laughed, talked, and ate!  Later we followed them back to Moons house for tea, beer and met up with Kitten (Kristen)  and Amory who dropped in on their way to PSG.  It was a blast! I was finally so tired, we had to head out, it was a long drive back home.  What a great weekend relaxing with friends!

I want this sign for my garden, those aren't weeds, they're native plants and grasses!