CHICAGO

Navy Pier on Lake Michigan.

We went to Chicago last week to celebrate our oldest graduation from North Eastern Illinois University. My sister Mary Margaret was also graduating from the same school so it was a double celebration. This was one of the views from our hotel the Swissotel on Whacker Drive.

Another view of condos and the lake behind the buildings.

The graduate on the left with his Dad on the right. We are walking through Millennial Park. The picture is in front of the "bean".

Nathan is a walker and we walked all through the city. We walked and walked , then stop at a coffee house for some refreshment , then walked and walked again. The neighborhoods were beautiful, trees all in bloom, and the flowers, loads of flowers.

These tulips were on the "Magnificent Mile". This is Michigan Ave. north of the river.

The weather was not great but bearable, cold, raining and of course windy.

Staying in the downtown area was great. We took the el all over, I even rode it by myself! I have not done that in over 33 years and I did not get lost once.

Visited some of Chicago's famous restaurants! Deep dish pizza was good going down but not on the return. Going to Chicago is a oral organism in food. Gino's is way at the bottom for good food, but I had a taste for deep dish pizza and now I may never want anymore in my life.

Oh that Costa Rican restaurant is to die for. The spices and flavors of rice, beans, meat and bananas.....yum, yum. We so wanted to eat here that we were willing to eat outside in the cold. It was worth it! My sister Mary Margaret on the right.

Nate and Mike

Eric and Larry

Those that could gathered at MM's and Bob's house and we celebrated with a fantastic dinner . My family can cook like no other, I must of been behind the door for those genes! Dessert was from Hoosier Mama. This pie shop was so fun to go into, just a little hole in the wall and yet they have unbelievable pies. We bought 4. I had some for breakfast the following morning too.

The Michigan Avenue bridge going up

The sail boats coming out of dry dock on the Chicago River heading for Lake Michigan and a season of sailing. Chicago is a great town to visit!!

Oh yes I did stop at a yarn store and bought some goodies, more on that later.