Monday, September 15, 2008

Rain & Flooding

Rain and flooding are keeping us in Chicago a while longer. We finally broke out of the boat last evening when it stopped raining--8.8 inches of rain here. The Chicago River Lock has been closed since Sat. We have spoken to boaters down river and the lockmasters are saying that it won't be until Wed that the Ill River will crest and it will take a few days for the river to recede.
Then the locks might open again but the commerical traffic has priority over pleasure craft moving through the locks--it will take a few days for that to get back to normal. It looks like about a week to ten days form now before it is feasible to move.

Wondering around Chicago




This McDonalds has a second floor with up scale food and memorabilia starting in 1950. They even have a picture of Levittown when it was first built. Rather unique looking building.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Contrast of clear and cloudy


The city looked even clearer after the rain. You couldn't see the tops of the buildings Sat., Sun., and part of Monday


Saturday, September 13, 2008

Fireworks in the rain

On Fri and Sat nights near the marina a display of fireworks is shot off. It was pouring rain both nights but we had about fifteen minutes of beautiful color.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Millennum Park, Chicago




A huge park very near the marina. You can see what looks like a large silver bean. Ed took a picture of us reflected on the bean. The park has a large amphitheater where last night they had a free ballet performance. There is a picture of a child shown on a large tower in the park. The picture is live of the child in the park.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

More of the Architectural Tour and Lunch



Our lunch picture: on the right is Roy, Rachel and Ellen; on the left Ed, Linda and Nat. Roy, Ellen and Nat are from M/V Our Turn and Rachel is Ellen's niece. Rachel showed us her Chicago. Thanks to her we saw Second Chicago Comedy Club, Broadway in Chicago--Jersey Boys, Aquarium and just walked and walked Chicago streets!

Architectural River Tour




The tall white building is the Wrigley Building. This is where the gum giant started. It looks like a wedding cake at the top. The building with the American Flag on top is the Chicago Times building. There are only a few pictures of the tour since part way through the capitan called Ed up to the pilot house to talk to him about navagating the Chicago River system. Ed took the camera with him. Ed had a great time with the captain.