April 20, 2006
Family Excursions (continued)
Sorry it's been a while. Final projects and work and such have combined to keep me from the computer lab with leisure to update. I hope absence has increased your desire to hear more about my visit with Mike and Amanda. I actually started writing this out last night and was going to post before my class, but unfortunately, I lost everything. It was quite disheartening. Even now, I feel like I won't be able to recreate my witty descriptions, but I will give it a try, for your sake.
On Saturday, we drove up to Chi-town, the Windy City, Chicago, home of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Originally, we had planned to park somewhere in Indiana and take the train in, to avoid all that pesky traffic and especially the expense of parking. Luckily, Mike remembered he had friends in Chicago and after a few calls to obtain phone numbers, we got in touch with them. They invited us to park right in front of their apartment in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago. Brad and Sara kindly escorted us to the local public library and checked out a free pass for the Art Institute and then dropped us off at the Museum of Science and Industry (housed in the only remaining building of "the white city" built for the 1893 exposition). I have to admit, I liked the building better than anything inside the museum. Here it is:
It's not that I didn't enjoy the museum. It's just a case of high expectations I think. I had heard from so many different people how cool and fun it was. And it had some nice exhibits, but all the rugrats running around and the games that tried to teach you things just made it not so fun. But I didn't say it wasn't any fun. Why, just take a look at these pictures and then tell me we didn't have some fun!
Here's Amanda at the replica of a farm:
And here's a huge submarine:
And some other stuff at the submarine exhibit:
Surprise! It's Amanda popping out of that window! And here's Mike checking out what it might have been like to sleep on a submarine. We thought it would be cramped, but he looks quite cozy.
We also got to see lots of really cute tiny buildings and cars and roads and bridges, and Amanda took lots of pictures trying to make them look real (and not like Mr. Roger's neighborhood).
It was supposed to be a beautiful day on Saturday, but I guess it was either Nature's or the weatherman's April Fool's joke on us because it turned out to be kind of chilly and dreary. Oh well, we still had fun rambling around the streets by the Art Institute.
We, along with many others, were quite attracted to this shining orb.
Can you spot us?
And strolling around the amphitheater in Millennium Park, which I knew was designed by Frank Gehry, not because I know that much about architecture, but because I know The Simpsons. Remember that one episode where Marge thought it would be nice to have a concert hall in Springfield, so she wrote to Frank Gehry on Snoopy stationary and asked him to design one? Later it turns into a prison and Homer becomes the Prison Snitch. Anyway, I could tell that the same architect inspired by a crumpled up paper was the man who came up with the Millennium Park design.
(That wasn't my picture, by the way... I hope no one minds... I just forgot to bring my own to the lab... maybe I'll swap it later.)
We were fascinated by these large towers, which apparently is actually a fountain. (It wasn't working when we were there.) Right now it has a calming ocean scene, but most of the time, it had someone's face. Not the whole head, just the face. And sometimes, the eyes would blink. Yeah, it was a little creepy. But it definitely is "a bold statement that is sure to stimulate passers-by and invite them to enter and experience Millennium Park" (from the chicagotraveler.com website).
Here's what it looks like up-close:
After walking around a bit more and standing in line for some delicious popcorn, Mike took the Metra back to Hyde Park to meet up with Brad for the Priesthood Session of General Conference. Amanda and I spent that time looking at the worldly goods so eloquently exhibited at Marshall Field's, ooh-ing and aah-ing over beautiful dresses. Then we walked over to Giordano's for some Chicago style, stuffed crust pizza. We figured it would be crowded, so we got there early. It wasn't crowded. Mike was meeting us there around 9:30, so we had a leisurely meal... and even more leisurely ice cream... and then sat and talked some more while sipping our water. Luckily, it still wasn't busy, so our waitress didn't mind us staying at the table for 2 hours. After Mike came, we packed up our leftovers and followed Brad's directions to the Lake Street El (which made me think of Fiery Furnaces). After a short ride back to Hyde Park, we hopped in the car (nice and safe) and headed home.
After the two sessions of Conference on Sunday, Mike and Amanda waved good-bye. I stood on my porch and watched them leave. I hate the leaving part.