CHICAGO.......

MONDAY...TUESDAY 3rd and 4th.....We took of a bit later this morn as it was really cold with flurries or snowfall ....the thought was to hire some bikes...Buck and I thought nah!!!! Chelsea was feeling positive so off they went!!!

Joel with a trailer full of boys!!!!

You go girl...the wind was freezing!!!!

Edge of Lake Michigan....the waves get to over 20 feet high when the winds reach over 50 mile an hour and come over the break wall....more common when it gets to -57 degrees Fahrenheit !!!!!!!

This is looking out towards Gary...Indiana ,birth place of Michael Jackson,now basically a ghost town as the industries shut down!!! Buck and I sat at a bar looking out and I had a warm toddie while the mad ones were out riding bikes in the snow!!!!

 

Snowflakes falling!!!!!

Appropriately named!!!!!!

A plaque on the bridge over the Chicago River.....all of the bridges open up for boats to go up the river when need be...there is also a loop of train tracks above the city streets that operates!!

 

Got back to the hotel and Chelsea arranged for a baby sitter so we took off for a meal at a Japanese restaurant....very nice then onto Buddy Guys Legends.....blues bar !!!

The great Buddy himself....in his late 70s but mate still good at what he does!!!!

Tuesday morn and I took off to the Art Institute of Chicago voted the best museum in the world in 2014.....I had just over an hour to kill until I meant the rest of family for a lunch rendezvous!!

You can actually interact with the lion statues out the front through your phone....amazing!!

Central staircase inside...beautiful...I did "What to see in an Hour "... worked well ...American Gothic...Monet...Seurat...Matisse...Andy Warhol.....Degas and also popped into the Modern Wing which isn't usually my thing but I was impressed!!!!

Amazing building and surrounds!!!

Caught up with the family at the rink and we took off to the French Market on the west side of the river for lobster rolls...... And an amazing eclair!!!!!

Some beautiful buildings....

 

Great market place...fresh food...host of eateries...buy what you like and sit back and enjoy!!

Papa Bucks treat.....

Chicago has this amazing system of underground tunnels and walkways so you can get around in the winter without being too cold...just pop your head up every now and again....shops.....the railway station entrances !!!

 

Well...Chicago the show is over.....lunch date with Obama in Washington DC !!!!!

 

Posted with Blogsy