A wonderful evening

We spent one evening in Ohama, NE. The kind folks of NAMP(Nebraska Assoc. of Meat Processors) hosted the weeks schedule for the annual AAMP (American Assoc.) convention. We were all guided from the Hilton across the street, up a few flights of stairs in front of the Quest Center and walked across a small bridge and were greeted by a two-sided colum of NAMP folks dressed in red shirts. It was a warm welcome and a pleasant evening hanging out with other meat processors from across the nation.

The evening picnic was held at the Lewis & Clark Landing along the Missouri River.

The L&C landing includes the Eternal Steel Workers statue.

The long bridge behind the statue is the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, just completed in September 2008 and it curves around the two tall pillars. It's a 3000 foot bridge that spans the Missouri River with Omaha on one side and Council Bluffs, Iowa on the other. I was hoping to take a walk the next morning across the bridge simply to say that "I walked to Iowa" but time did not allow.

At 9:00 pm they 'kicked us out' of the Landing and it was obvious that many weren't ready to call it a night. Walking back across the short bridge to the Quest Center darkness now revealed a different scene. One of the small statues in front of the Center.

And across the street a long two sided fireplace was ablaze. The scene was more picturesque from across the street but I was too lazy to cross again just for a picture. sigh...

A few of us from PA hung out together all evening til well past midnight

at the other end of the outdoor seating area. The warm evening weather with no bugs or mosquitoes was just too hard to say good night to. I don't know when I laughed so much. It was a wonderful evening with new found friends.

The next morning while I waited for Jay to finish making some business connections I snapped a few pictures of the art in front of the Quest Center.

The clock held correct time.

It was a fun stay in Omaha. Hoping some day to possibly return and take in the many historical places of interest that were just with a few blocks from where we stayed. But this time we had too many miles ahead of us and family from the present will always come before history. Maybe next time.