Does it Play in Peoria?

The title is a old line in the theater, probably from Vaudeville days that if played in Peoria, it would be accepted by mainstream America.  It was also the home of Jim Jordan and Marion Driscoll Jordan -- better known in radio days as Fibber McGee and Molly.  They had a radio show, it was Bob's dad's favorite!

So, on our first day of vacation we stopped for dinner in Peoria, Illinois.  We ate down along the river front at a a place called New Amsterdam (the original name of some place call New...oh what's it called?... New York.)

We would recommend this place.  The food was good and the service was very good.  Jim, our waiter was a riot and the trainee stopped and waited for us to finish our prayer before our meal.

While we were waiting to eat, a barge went up the Illinois River. 

Then we took this picture...

Then continued on to Davenport, Iowa across the Mississippi.

Bummer, no barges on the Mississippi.  I have seen a barge on the old Miss, down in St. Louis back in the 80's.

This crosses Iowa off of Sarah's list officially.  She was in Iowa in the summer of '99 at a friend's wedding, but since she was born in September of '99 ... well you get the idea.