STUFF I DIDN'T BUY IN GALENA ILLINOIS

Knoxville, IL: I'm sure you are all waiting to hear if we are in a Wal-Mart parking lot again tonight. Well, I'm happy to say we are in a honest to goodness Good Sam campground. And we are able to find a strong wireless signal so we've been able to check and write email. Life is good!

This morning we went to the historic town of Galena, Illinois. Already in the 1830's Galena was a center for mining, smelting, and steamboating. By 1850 it had become one of the busiest Mississippi River ports, but when the railroad came in 1854 the city declined and became a quiet, backwater town. During the Civil War, Galena gave the Union Army 9 generals, including U. S. Grant who later became the 18th President of the United States. Today, the town has been rediscovered and restored, and is a charming town that time forgot, filled with speciality shops, historic sites and attractions, and fine dining. It seems to be a destination for women and motorcyclists! The town was filled with women shoppers and bikers that road back and forth on the streets.

We parked our truck and inquired about the red and green trolly car sitting in front of the information center. Ten dollars a person? I don't think so. We walked. When we got to the main street of town, we began our shopping spree. I saw a 6 foot tall camel with a jeweled blanket thrown over his hump, and wearing red tennis shoes. I didn't see a price and didn't ask and didn't buy. Next I saw a lovely sage green, fleece, full length coat with that squiggly yarn decorating the collar and sleeves. It was $475, and it is still hanging in the shop. Inside the next shop I saw a candle ring made up of ceramic pigs holding hands. $129. Nope, don't need that! Across the street was a three story shop full of furniture and home decorating items. I spied a unique tin wall hanging, about 4 foot square, seemingly made out of old tin ceilings. The price tag was tucked behind the frame, and I can see why! It read $4,000! Up on the third floor of the shop I found a white, bent twig chair, proudly proclaiming its $795 price on a large tag.

We stopped at a small cafe for lunch and then continued our walk through town, arriving back at our starting point at 1:17. I looked at the time we had punched the parking ticket and it read 11 o'clock. So our shopping trip was a bit over two hours, including the walk to and fro, and the time for lunch. Total money spent? Hubby bought lunch and I sprung for the $3.00 parking fee.