We left Waukegan early Sept 3 and had an easy run down to Chicago (about 30 miles). Here we are going by Northwestern University.
Sailing class for some very young sailors!Chicago comes into view.Love the skyline.Tall ship on the outside of the breakwater.And later, all sails flying. Windy day as we approach the Windy City. Going by Navy Pier.Being the height of Labor Day weekend, there were zillions of pleasure boats about and boatloads of people on them. DuSable Marina – huge!A very cool racing “sled” ahead of us in the marina.The Ferris Wheel is our front yard today. Since our “air draft” of 19 feet was too high to go under the many bridges of Chicago, we took our dinghy in to see all the buildings. The entry to the first lock was a madhouse. But we got through, no problem. A popular spot to dock and dine.Wedding party posing on a bridge.Further into the steel canyon. Great reflections.Tenting along the river? We heard that there is an organization that gives tents to the homeless. No sure if this is true or not, but we did see quite a few tents (along with BBQ grills as well). I don’t know why this building doesn’t just topple over – looks like an architectural marvel to me. Clark Street! And in the background is a cool apartment building with 7 bottom floors for parking. Don’t back up too far!Another popular watering hole. Headed back to the marina we noticed a sister ship to my sister’s ship – loved the flags too. The ferris wheel at night provided a nice light show, almost like watching fireworks. Labor Day, Sept 4 (Happy Birthday cousin Anne). Took a walking tour. Here we are passing by The Jay Pritzker outdoor concert pavilion.The popular Cloud Gate also known as The Bean. The ultimate selfie spot.Trying to find ourselves in the kaleidoscope of the Bean. There we are!Crown Fountain – lots of fun for everyone. Looking up at the buildings through one of the gardens nearby in Millennium Park. The left most building was featured in the end of the movie “Adventures in Babysitting.” Old against new.
Smiling – then stoic – then charismatic street performer. Lions outside the Art Museum.Ironic ad for Pure Michigan on Michigan AvenueWe stumbled upon the very beginning of Route 66.Looking up at the very tall Willis Tower – once the tallest building in the world. Waited in line, paid a lot of money and then got to the top of the tower. Looking down at our marina. Bum luck – two minutes after I took this picture a rain squall hit. We had a view for about 5 minutes and then we were completely fogged in!Back to the bottom, the top of the building is still in the clouds!Bird’s eye view. Reflection on the building acts as a mirror for on coming boat traffic. Back in the 1930s this was the world’s largest building, the Mercantile Mart. Owned several years by the Kennedy family. Bob got a chance to feed some of the local wildlife. A colorful couple.Chicago’s Vietnam Memorial.
The tops of the buildings, especially the older ones, were so unique and intricate. And hey, it’s 5:00 somewhere!Giant statue of Abraham Lincoln and Joe Q. Public.Not sure why there was a water salute for this tour boat. Back at the marina we have a new neighbor – complete with a motor cycle on the bow. Bob was jealous. Of course, leaving Chicago, the sky couldn’t have been bluer. Oh well, we’ll do another tower visit another day.
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