Around Chicago!

A lovely Sunday in Chicago!

Hello!

I was asleep by 9 pm last night, and up this morning about 6 am – lovely long sleep!  Robert has opened the window in our room and it has been lovely!  It only opens for about 4-5 inches or so, but that is enough to let in fresh air and freeway noise.  However, we really do prefer that to a hermetically sealed box!

Building on the stunning U of Chicago campus

First gallery of Oriental Institute Museum

Do love those lions!

Down for breakfast about 7, and it was again lovely.  Lots of choices at the buffet, and even salsa for my scrambled eggs!  Who could ask for more?

Around 8 we gathered our things together and headed out to the car.  Our plan for today was to drive to the Oriental Institute on the University of Chicago campus.  Along the way, we also did Robert’s “roots trip” past Cousin Tina’s house, past his own house, past Bateman Elementary and by the park where he had worked as a lifeguard.  As it was still early, we didn’t have to put up with a lot of traffic, and we were even able to drive by Navy Pier and along Lake Shore Drive.  Lovely weather, although there is a possibility of rain and a front going through tonight.  Tomorrow is supposed to be something like 20 degrees cooler!  We have been (knock wood!) so fortunate in our weather so far – do hope it continues while we’re in Michigan!

Arrived at the Oriental Institute just about 10 am, which is their opening time.  And, strangely enough, we were even able to find a parking spot on the STREET, something unheard of in my memory at any rate.  There were streets around the Oriental Institute (OI) completely blocked off, and others with no parking notices along the trees and lots of activity going on everywhere!  Men unloading huge vans of equipment, others assembling platforms and metal bridges.  R asked inside the OI and was told that they are setting up for graduation!  R says his own graduation from Chicago was wonderful, and very old-worldly with trumpets blaring and lots of pomp and circumstance!

The OI is really a wonderful museum, and we try to get there any time we’re in the Chicago area.  This time, we got the audio guides, and I was even able to figure out how to work them! 

Lamassu from Persepolis

From Darius I's palace

(This is definitely better than last time, when I somehow got my guide into Spanish…)  All in all, we had a good look around.  The OI has so many objects for display that they are continually renewing and refreshing their displays, which is really nice.  They have a special exhibition of photography on Persepolis from the 1930’s, which is now in modern Iran.  It was very interesting, and R has challenged me to put together a trip to Iran!  Americans and Brits are not able to go to Iran without joining a tour (shoot me now…) but R has suggested that if we found a small tour with special interest in archeology, it might be the way to go.  So … I’m starting my research!  Fortunately, our friends Bob and Stew have put me in touch with their New Zealand friend, Pim, who visited Iran last year with her husband, so I have someplace to start.  Who knows where this may lead?!

More from Persepolis

International treaty in cuneiform

Left the OI about 12:15 and took the long (non-freeway) way home, back up Lake Shore Drive to Irving Park, and then across the city to River Road and our hotel.  Having more than half the pizza left over from last night, we heated it up in the microwave and it was delicious!  Now resting a bit before we leave for the Cubs baseball game at Wrigley Field.  Our plan is to do a repeat of yesterday, and drive to the Skokie Swift and take the L to the ball game…just hope the weather holds!

I am posting this now, as the game doesn’t start until 6:35 pm and I don’t want to have to write when we get back.  So, the game will be covered tomorrow!  Go Cubs Go!!

Lots of love!

m

xxx