I was soooo excited for this day. Nels was so nice and stayed home with all four kids so I could spend time with the visitors. I had the best day ever!! :) I love my kids, but they complicate outings. :) Nels took them to to Costco and the bike store. So they had a good day too.
We caught the 8:40 a.m. train into Chicago. Then we walked to Willis Tower, formally known as Sears Tower. We paid $25/person to go up 103 floors. Then we walked out on a glass encased window called The Ledge.
Our ears popped on the elevator ride! The elevator ride took 60 seconds.
Cheese.
They had facts about Chicago and museum like items as you waited in line to go in the elevator and wait to walk on the ledge.
I thought this was an interesting fact about why it's called the Windy City.
We saw spectacular views of the city.
Me and Jenny stood in front of this pic of the city...
Through the glass window...
On the ledge...
Standing up that high didn't bother me at all. It made me even more excited to try skydiving!
All six of us got on the ledge and took a few pics...
Then it was time for lunch. We ate at Pizano's and ordered different kinds of pasta.
Jenny and I shared a a sausage penne pasta.
Then we rushed to our next stop...our architectural boat tour. It did not disappoint. Loved it!!!
Here's a few pics from it. I remember the tour guide commented that these statues of heads were like the pez dispensers. haha.
This is draw bridge from the early 1900's and is a national landmark so it can't be torn down. Once a year they lower the bridge and raise it up again to make sure it is in working condition...it's a law that they have to do that.
Me and Whitney taking pics at the front of the boat.
We learned about different methods used to solve the problem of swaying skyscrapers. I won't explain this very well...but on top of one building they have these huge water tanks filled with water and when the wind blows the water empties out and levels the building out and then they refill. Another building has a wind tunnel.
Some buildings used the river as inspiration and used what is called the bubble effect. The bubble effect makes the outside of the building look like a reflection of the river...ripply instead of smooth like a mirror.
One building put a map on the side of it with a big red rectangle. The red rectangle marks that building on the map.
Other random things: One building- the Marina City- had a car garage that was designed for when the flying car is invented...the building was designed in the 1960's. The building is called a city because inside it has everything a person would need. Theater, gym, stores, restaurant, ice rink, bowling alley. Pretty cool.
One old building was originally used as a meat freezer. The whole building was filled with meat!
A condo along the river sold for $2.3 million dollars.
Trump Tower is the 2nd tallest building in the city.
We learned about Art Deco, Echo deco, black box and white box architecture.
We also learned about the Chicago Flag. Two blue stripes represent the two waters of Chicago... The Chicago River and Lake Michigan.
Three White stripes represent the three lands...North side, West side and South side.
4 Stars represent events. 1. Fort Dearborn 2. Chicago Fire of 1871. 3. World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 and 4. Century of Progress Exposition of 1933.
After the boat tour we relaxed at the amazing Apple Store. Then we went to Ghirardelli's for some awesome ice cream.
Jenny and I shared the brownie sundae.
Then we did some souvenir shopping. I bought a Sears Tower ornament, a Chicago city in a globe ornament, magnet and a sweatshirt that matched Melissa. I also bought some postcards that I mailed to my grandparents and some Chicago pencils and candy for the kids.
We ended up at Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. I FaceTimed Nels so he could see all of the different guitars on the wall. I think that helped him...evenings are rough with the kids!
After dinner we took the river walk to the train station and enjoyed the gorgeous sunsetting views of the city.
Our matching sweatshirts!!! :)
We walked about 7 miles on this day too. It was just a great day. I enjoyed it and I loved sharing Chicago with my family!
We made it home around 10:30 and then the visitors were up at 3:15 a.m. to make their 6 a.m. flight. Yuck! I felt bad for them, but they just did it with a great attitude. I got up and hugged them good bye and then went back to bed. :) They all made it home safely. Thank you so much for coming Melissa, Michael, Jenny, Whitney and Ashlyn!!!
