After a 3:00 AM alarm and an hour ride to the airport ( with a couple of almost-missed exits due to Steve being on autopilot), we are waiting on the tarmac for the first leg of our journey to Chicago. I can't believe this is our first trip into the
Windy City. We have driven through it, visited friends in its suburbs, and been on Lake Michigan. Now, we have a great reason to actuallyvisit since Patricia has made her home there. The flights from Providence to Atlanta and Atlanta to Midway
were both uneventful and almost restful. We are ready for a great time.
Now, I am writing 3 weeks after our trip. I will try my best to give the highlights of our trip. Before I do that I will simply state that we had a wonderful time.
It was great being with Tooch and meeting Alex and his son, Sam, as well as his parents, Penny and Victor. Lincoln Square, the area in which Patricia and Alex live (and where we stayed for most our our visit), is about a 20 minute train ride from
downtown Chicago. It is a quiet, yet vibrant, neighborhood with its own shopping area that includes a great apothecary shop, grocery store, clothing, toy, and book stores, and restaurants. In some ways it reminds me of where I grew up in Providence.
Steve and I took the train back and forth to downtown with only one mishap (we got off at the wrong station upon our first return trip to Lincoln Square). We took the Big Bus Tour to see the city, visited Millenium Park and the Bean, Navy Pier, and
the Willis (Sears) Tower where we stood on the glass skywalk. We went on the Architecture Cruise, ate breakfast at Lou Mitchell's, and visited both the Field Museum and Chicago's History Museum. We went to see Aaron Neville perform at City Winery
and we spent two nights in the city itself at the Palmer House. We walked over 6 miles each day and were both in pain by the time we came home - LOL (Steve's knee and my foot were acting up, but it was definitely worth it). I also want to mention
that Alex's parents invited us to dinner at the yacht club to which they belong on Lake Michigan and then took us out sailing. I was apprehensive because I didn't want to get sick, but Victor told me that if I "drove" the boat I wouldn't get nauseus.
That is what I did. I must say that did work. It was a beautiful night in good company.
So, that is a short summation of our Chicago trip. It was GREAT and we look forward to visiting again!