Into Chicago!

Oh what a day!

Well!  We have had one very interesting day, but then we usually feel like that when we’ve been to a wonderful museum.  So I’ve decided to write and post now, so that I can get to bed VERY early, as tomorrow promises to be an even busier day!

A photo of downtown Chicago from our room!

The Skokie Swift

Facade of a Chicago Public Library building

Field Museum

Up around 6:30 am and down to breakfast about 7.  Our complimentary breakfast was fantastic – and even included that old Tucson delicacy, Chilaquiles!  Who knew?!  Back upstairs to collect ourselves and our “stuff” as we were heading into downtown Chicago.  We drove first over to the Dempster Street station for the Skokie Swift  (the Yellow Line on the Chicago “L”) which is about 15 minutes from the hotel.  This is the end of the line, and comes with an attached parking lot, where - for $3 you can leave your car all day!  Truly the parking bargain of Chicago! 

Soldier Field where the Bears (and U2) play!

Lovely sculpture

Brontosaurus!

Can't remember what this is, but he was cute!

Got on the two-car train and headed east to where the Swift stops at Howard Street and you can get either a Red or a Purple line toward downtown.  In our case, we chose the Red line, which would take us down into the loop (to da loop!) where we got off and climbed up to ground level to catch the Museum Bus.  The 130 is a bus that goes through downtown Chicago and then heads to the Field Museum and what is called the Museum Campus – besides the Field Museum, it stops at Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium.  Very convenient!  It also stops at Soldier Field, where the Bears play, which was today hosting a sold-out U2 concert.

It took quite a long time to put all the pieces together, but the day was really beautiful, and we were very much enjoying spending time outside.  Reached the Field Museum about 11 am and got in line for tickets.  They have so much going on at the museum that they have many choices for tickets – several 3D movies, a special exhibit on China and a special exhibition on Jurassic World, among other things.  We decided to try Jurassic World, as we had enjoyed the movie, and headed there first.

Baby bonding with adult

T-Rex!

Stegasaurous

 

The exhibition was actually built out of the side of the museum, in huge white tents; it was spectacular!  If you are at all familiar with the Jurassic World movie, (or any of the Jurassic Park movies for that matter) you know the concept – scientists manipulating dinosaur DNA to bring back the extinct dinosaurs and then put them in settings for people to see.  Well … as Robert said, the animation of these creatures was fantastic!  [Animation doesn’t begin to describe the exhibit and it may be the wrong word.  These were full-sized, fully animated robots!]  We walked in on a brontosaurus who actually was eating over our heads, and moved on to the baby triceratops who was bonding with an adult animal.  The T-Rex was authentically scary, and the Velociraptor, named “Blue”, really did snap his jaws at us!  In between we had interesting talks from guides and keepers who worked at the park, and filled us up with all sorts of facts.  Made us realize that we have to buy the Jurassic World DVD now!

Once we returned from Jurassic World, we headed to what we think is a fairly new exhibit on The Ancient Americas.  Just fabulous!  Information and exhibits with many short film pieces about many of the current cultures, from the Arctic to Peru, and then heading back in time.  I had no idea that the Incan empire at one time extended as far south as Santiago, Chile, and there were several cultures – Moche and Wari – that we had never heard of!  The exhibit ended in the Arctic North, and there was a splendid display of totem poles and other artifacts from the Pacific Northwest.  Very much enjoyed!

Bushman -- R's "first man!"

From there, we wandered through the Hall of Jade and the Hall of Gems … always one of my favorite places!  Very much missed this past year’s Tucson Gem Show … very much looking forward to seeing it in 2018!

Stunning sculpture!

Totem Poles

Jade desk screen

Adler Planetarium

Chicago waterfront

Including marina!

Chicago deep-dish pizza!

Love those rubies...

By this time, it was past 2 pm and we decided to head back to the hotel for afternoon naps.  Outside to the bus stop, and soon on the 130 bus.  This time, we got off before the loop and caught the Red line back to Howard Street.  Had to wait a few minutes for the Skokie Swift, but soon were back in the car and heading to the hotel.  As we had run out of our favorite sparkling water, we decided to stop at a Jewel/Osco and see if we could find more.  Really lovely store, and we were able to not only get water, but R was able to get cherries, and we also bought some cheese and crackers to munch on.  We also found a Wells Fargo Bank, and got some extra $$, as there are no WF ATM’s in the lower peninsula of Michigan!

Back to the hotel and decided we wanted some deep dish Chicago-style pizza for supper.  The front desk was able to give Robert a brochure from Giordano’s, who deliver!  Wow!  Stunning pizza (weighed a ton!) with pepperoni and mushrooms.  We finished maybe ¼ of it; we’ll be eating this for days, but now are in for the night! 

More tomorrow!

Much love,

m

xxx