Chicago

After spending two days watching baseball at Wrigley Field, it was time to see some of downtown Chicago.  Heath came up with some suggested activities and Mike and I decided to join him and the others at the Hancock Building.  We got in the elevator and traveled at 20 mph to the 94th floor where we found the 360 degree observation deck.  After walking around and photographing the Magnificient Mile and lakefront from on high, some of us decided to check out TILT. 

TILT allows visitors to have a downward view of the Chicago skyline from 1030 feet up.  Mike agreed to be our camera man as the rest of us stepped up to the enclosed glass and steel moveable platform.  We placed our hands on the railings and then the ride operator tilted the window wall forward so we were looking down at the city.  We stayed in this position for a few minutes and then the wall reverted back to vertical. 

Laura, Mike and I decided to head home after all this excitement.  However, to fortify ourselves for the long train ride home which included the closed stations, the bus rides and a nearly one mile walk back to the hotel, we stopped at Stan's for donuts.  

The next morning, Emily headed back to California while the rest of us met at McDonalds before driving to downtown Chicago.  We were going to take an early morning river cruise led by docents from the Chicago Architecture Center.  

I had picked this cruise because the early morning light was ideal for taking photographs.  Some of the highlights of our tour included...

333 West Wacker Drive built in 1983.  This building was designed to fit with the river by having a curved, shimmering green-tinted facade that reminded you of a river.  It provided a great photo opportunity because of the reflection of the river skyline in the buildings windows.  

150 N. Riverside makes the observer nervous as it seems to defy the laws of physics.  In 2017, the architects wedged a 54 story building into a narrow site with the river on one side and railroad tracks on the other.  The building is 20 times taller than its base is wide.  

The round twin towers on the right in this picture were built in 1967.  Our guide affectionally called them the corn cobs.  

Laura, in a Wrigley Field sweatshirt, is standing in front of the Wrigley Building.  It is in the background on the far left.  It was built in 1924 from white terra cotta tiles.  The clock tower was modeled after a bell tower in Spain.  

After that it was time for our family members to head back to their homes.  I'm thinking I may let Mike and Emily (with a little help from Heath and I) plan our next family trip too.  They did a great job with this one.