Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Chicago May 2008




We were home a week and a half and Harry was restless already. On Monday, May 19th, I endured a very thorough eye exam and thanks to all the drops and dilation, I was blind for half the day. It’s a good thing the trailer was parked in the driveway, packed and ready to go!

Bright and early Tuesday, May 20th, Bud and Carol met us and we all headed west! Our destination was the Indiana Dunes National Seashore Campground in Michigan City Indiana- an hour east of Chicago Illinois. As the camping crowd calls it, we “dry camped” - no electricity, no water on sight and definitely NO wifi or cable! Bud was in withdrawal! Yes, it got pretty COOL during the nights but - - the trailer does have a furnace! Harry was in charge of the evening meal and he excelled at the barbeque ribs, done to perfection over an open fire! The meal was topped off with, of course - - roasted marshmallows!

Wednesday the 21st we got on the Southshore Train and for $3.75 each, we rode to downtown Chicago. Breakfast was at our now favorite downtown spot- The Old Timers Restaurant. Carol and I enjoyed crepes – one Greek with fresh spinach and feta cheese and the other one Blueberry. The rest of the day was spent walking, riding the water taxi, walking, exploring famous landmarks, like the Marina Towers, The Blues Brothers Club, the Amtrak Station, Bloomingdale’s, Nieman Marcus AND the 8 story Water Tower Place Shopping Center and walking! Lunch was at a 4 star Chicago Hotdog Restaurant, Portillo's, that was filled with all kinds of famous Chicago antiques. The dogs were good but the buns were ‘nuked a bit too long!

As if Wednesday didn’t do us all in with the amount of walking we did, Thursday we tried it again! Bud and Carol got off the train at the Museum of Science and Industry which we had just explored a year or so ago and we rode one stop farther and walked 3 blocks to the Field Science Museum. The last time we had explored that museum, we had taken my 34 year-old son who was about 6 and Harry’s daughter who was about 12. The stunning front of the museum commands a striking view of Lakeshore Drive and downtown Chicago with the boat studded harbor and Navy Pier sitting by its side. On the 2nd side of the museum are the Shedd’s Aquarium and the Planetarium; on the 3rd side is the collection of train tracks and Grant Park and on the backside is Soldier’s Field, the football stadium.

Friday we rested - and drove home to begin planning our next adventure! Stay tuned.