Chicago!
So, Anna and I did go to Chicago a couple weeks ago and had a great time. I've added photos to her blog, and hope to add more either there or here in the near future. Darn work gets in the way, though.
We left Minneapolis on Sunday morning the 15th, and for the most part it was smooth sailing into the city until we had to leave the train to the city and get on a bus for the remainder of the route. Uggh. Toddler, stroller, heavy bag and diaper bag all crushed on a city bus for a ride that seemed to take forever did not start out the trip so well. Edwin met us pretty quickly after we arrived downtown, then all was well. Once I got a good look at a map of downtown I realized we were close to almost everything I wanted to do. Yay!
It was mostly just Anna and I on the trip, which I knew from the beginning but still surprised at how early Edwin left the hotel room in the morning and how late he returned at night. I tried to call him from time to time, hoping for a free hour or half hour but was only successful in catching him to spend time with Anna once. Oh well. We were fine and I got to call all the shots ;)
Sunday evening I brought Anna to Buckingham Fountain, the fountain that was always shown at the beginning of "Married With Children". It was a beautiful evening and fun to be there. We also spent time at Millenium Park, which I also love but was quite disappointed that there was no music in the park that evening. Quite a pity because it was such a beautiful evening. Oh well again. We just walked around the area instead.
Monday we headed for Lincoln Park Zoo by bus, which was a pretty fun experience for Anna because she loves buses so much. Before, during, and now after the trip she enjoys pointing out buses and say "Buh! Buh!" so she loved being downtown. The zoo was great, everything was in pretty close proximity to each other and although it was warm it was still a nice day for the zoo. We saw monkeys, seals, otters, flamingos, etc., and I made sure we saw the giraffes. While we were there Anna rode on their carousel, and she loved it. She had ridden the carousel at Como Zoo but was too little at the time and cried during the ride, but this time it was a completely different experience and she cried when she had to get off.
That evening I decided we would go to Sears Tower, which was probably an 8-10 block walk from our hotel. Anna was fine, she was cozy in her stroller and was interested in all there was to see on the city streets, the noise didn't bother her at all.
We both loved Sears Tower. I wasn't surprised that I liked it as much as I did--I love to see big buildings and big bridges--Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Erasmus Bridge (Rotterdam). Edwin says he preferred the John Hancock tower, but I figured we might as well go for the tallest this time around. I am still sad that I never went to the World Trade Center all the times I was in New York. Anyway, Anna spent a great deal of time running around the observation floor and stood right against the glass to look out on the city and down below. It made me nervous.
Tuesday Anna and I met up with a mom I know from the MSN board which I'm a member--Michelle, and her son Chase. We met at Navy Pier and together went to the Children's Museum and then out to lunch. I think we were both relieved that neither of us were one of the weird or slightlly crazy members of the board, so we were fine. Anyway, Anna had fun running around the museum and she and Chase didn't interact too much, which is not a surprise given their ages. But if Michelle and I do keep in touch (which I think we will) maybe someday our paths will cross again.
We went back to Navy Pier later that day, and this time we were closer to the water and able to watch the boats and see a lot of people strolling along. Anna enjoyed chasing the birds and sea gulls and we were able to watch the sunset behind the Chicago skyline. Another full and exciting day.
By this point, I'd long ago resigned myself to being hot, sticky, and smelly due to all the walking. I've always felt that walking around a city is what gives you a true sense of what a city is all about, plus it's cheaper than taking a taxi, of course. I had brought some extra clothes, and had packed extra for Anna so a couple of the days we were able to change into something fresh midday. Plus you just figure nobody cares, I'll never see these people again anyway.
Wednesday morning Anna and I strolled down Miracle Mile and picked up some chocolate from the Ghiradelli shop. We didn't have a lot of time before we needed to meet Edwin, check out of our hotel room, and head to Wrigley Stadium for the Cubs game. We were a little frazzled by the time we got there, but once there and Anna had something to eat the game was fun and the Cubs easily beat the Giants. Yay! Then it was time for us to head for home.
The length of the trip was just right, I got to do many of things I wasn't able to do when Edwin and I went for a long weekend a couple years ago. Like Sears Tower, and shopping on Miracle Mile. Anna was fun, and so well behaved. At night I'd give her a bath and then we'd snuggle on the bed in the dark, flipping the channels on the tv and eating potato chips or some other treat.
Our flight had delays on the way home, so we got home much later than expected. Even later that night Edwin's parents and Marije returned from San Francisco, so things were hectic again.
More another time.
So, Anna and I did go to Chicago a couple weeks ago and had a great time. I've added photos to her blog, and hope to add more either there or here in the near future. Darn work gets in the way, though.
We left Minneapolis on Sunday morning the 15th, and for the most part it was smooth sailing into the city until we had to leave the train to the city and get on a bus for the remainder of the route. Uggh. Toddler, stroller, heavy bag and diaper bag all crushed on a city bus for a ride that seemed to take forever did not start out the trip so well. Edwin met us pretty quickly after we arrived downtown, then all was well. Once I got a good look at a map of downtown I realized we were close to almost everything I wanted to do. Yay!
It was mostly just Anna and I on the trip, which I knew from the beginning but still surprised at how early Edwin left the hotel room in the morning and how late he returned at night. I tried to call him from time to time, hoping for a free hour or half hour but was only successful in catching him to spend time with Anna once. Oh well. We were fine and I got to call all the shots ;)
Sunday evening I brought Anna to Buckingham Fountain, the fountain that was always shown at the beginning of "Married With Children". It was a beautiful evening and fun to be there. We also spent time at Millenium Park, which I also love but was quite disappointed that there was no music in the park that evening. Quite a pity because it was such a beautiful evening. Oh well again. We just walked around the area instead.
Monday we headed for Lincoln Park Zoo by bus, which was a pretty fun experience for Anna because she loves buses so much. Before, during, and now after the trip she enjoys pointing out buses and say "Buh! Buh!" so she loved being downtown. The zoo was great, everything was in pretty close proximity to each other and although it was warm it was still a nice day for the zoo. We saw monkeys, seals, otters, flamingos, etc., and I made sure we saw the giraffes. While we were there Anna rode on their carousel, and she loved it. She had ridden the carousel at Como Zoo but was too little at the time and cried during the ride, but this time it was a completely different experience and she cried when she had to get off.
That evening I decided we would go to Sears Tower, which was probably an 8-10 block walk from our hotel. Anna was fine, she was cozy in her stroller and was interested in all there was to see on the city streets, the noise didn't bother her at all.
We both loved Sears Tower. I wasn't surprised that I liked it as much as I did--I love to see big buildings and big bridges--Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Erasmus Bridge (Rotterdam). Edwin says he preferred the John Hancock tower, but I figured we might as well go for the tallest this time around. I am still sad that I never went to the World Trade Center all the times I was in New York. Anyway, Anna spent a great deal of time running around the observation floor and stood right against the glass to look out on the city and down below. It made me nervous.
Tuesday Anna and I met up with a mom I know from the MSN board which I'm a member--Michelle, and her son Chase. We met at Navy Pier and together went to the Children's Museum and then out to lunch. I think we were both relieved that neither of us were one of the weird or slightlly crazy members of the board, so we were fine. Anyway, Anna had fun running around the museum and she and Chase didn't interact too much, which is not a surprise given their ages. But if Michelle and I do keep in touch (which I think we will) maybe someday our paths will cross again.
We went back to Navy Pier later that day, and this time we were closer to the water and able to watch the boats and see a lot of people strolling along. Anna enjoyed chasing the birds and sea gulls and we were able to watch the sunset behind the Chicago skyline. Another full and exciting day.
By this point, I'd long ago resigned myself to being hot, sticky, and smelly due to all the walking. I've always felt that walking around a city is what gives you a true sense of what a city is all about, plus it's cheaper than taking a taxi, of course. I had brought some extra clothes, and had packed extra for Anna so a couple of the days we were able to change into something fresh midday. Plus you just figure nobody cares, I'll never see these people again anyway.
Wednesday morning Anna and I strolled down Miracle Mile and picked up some chocolate from the Ghiradelli shop. We didn't have a lot of time before we needed to meet Edwin, check out of our hotel room, and head to Wrigley Stadium for the Cubs game. We were a little frazzled by the time we got there, but once there and Anna had something to eat the game was fun and the Cubs easily beat the Giants. Yay! Then it was time for us to head for home.
The length of the trip was just right, I got to do many of things I wasn't able to do when Edwin and I went for a long weekend a couple years ago. Like Sears Tower, and shopping on Miracle Mile. Anna was fun, and so well behaved. At night I'd give her a bath and then we'd snuggle on the bed in the dark, flipping the channels on the tv and eating potato chips or some other treat.
Our flight had delays on the way home, so we got home much later than expected. Even later that night Edwin's parents and Marije returned from San Francisco, so things were hectic again.
More another time.
posted by Anna's Mommy at
7:28 PM
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