Road Trip: Kansas City

And now for the final post of this road trip adventure! (Sorry for the delay btw...I moved to DC and started a new job, so I've been a bit busy.) We ended the trip in Kansas City, partly because barbecue, but mostly because it is the home of Peter.

So what, other than the best barbecue in America, is up with Kansas City?

We started our first morning at City Market, where Rose and I continued the beignet obsession that began in New Orleans. We tasted fresh made beignets filled with three kinds of chocolate and peanut butter, and a tirimisu one filled with chocolate and cream. Swoon. Those were by far the best dessert of the whole trip.

Then we drove around a bit to see the sights -- did you know that Kansas City is "sister cities" with Seville, Spain, and thus has a lot of Spanish architecture? And that it is the "City of Fountains" and there are fountains everywhere? (Things you learn when tourist-ing with a local.)

We drove past the art museum and saw big plastic bubbles with a sign commanding: Come play with us! Ummm ok if you say so. We walked up...So wait really? We can just play? Turns out it was some sort of promotional thing, so the answer was yes! So ridiculous! And so fun!

After exhausting ourselves in the bubbles (no but really, running around encased in a giant bubble of inflated plastic bumper-car-ing your friends is tiring) we walked up the museum's huge lawn and checked out the statues. Don't touch them! And if you do, a disembodied voice will politely but firmly command you to step away.

We made it up to the museum's tall set of stone steps, and clearly a race between our trip's most competitive members (not me!) was in order.  Tim, Gustavo, and Peter lined up at the bottom to sprint up, around a column, and back down. Never race down stairs. (Foreshadowing.)

I called ready set go! They were going fast...taking multiple steps at a time...Gustavo was winning...and on the last few Peter dove, took a chunk out of his big toe, and off to the ER it was for us. (Technically he did win the race...just not really the day.)

A loooong while and four stitches later we were collectively drowning his pain in barbecue sauce. We got take-out from Arthur Bryant's and ohmygosh guys ribs! And the best baked beans I've ever had! It was a rather epic late-afternoon feast, and from there we headed to the baseball stadium to continue our super-American Memorial Day.

Oh don't worry, this was only plate 1.

We had seats in the second row, which was amazing! I like baseball games in general, but sitting so close I actually paid attention the whole time. We rooted for the Royals of course (they lost), and for every Venezuelan player on both teams (who knew there were so many?!).

Three of our esteemed companions left throughout the day on Monday, so by the next morning there were just four of us left. We chillaxed around the house, went for a little run around the lake, and then said our goodbyes the airport.

This is what it looks like when 7 students invade your home.
THANK YOU to all who hosted us!

And that, my friends, is that. What a great trip!