Last day in Chicago

Not our last morning, though, so it was a difficult decision: Banana-Nut Waffle or Blueberry Pancake.  I guess the pancakes will be tomorrow’s choice    Needless to say, the Corned Beef Hash fan has no such dilemma.

The hotel usually has a large flower arrangement in the lobby, but right now, there’s a Gauguin-inspired display.

Alongside the large vases of (real) mangoes and leaves, there are some interesting painty plates.  This is my favourite.

Closely followed by this one.

Don’t ask how I know they are “real” mangoes*

Just opposite here, there were some lovely reflections this morning.  Far more interesting than a party, even if there was a hummus dip on offer

We had a clear plan for this morning.  As usual, though, it involved a walk along the Magnificent Mile.  Lovely!  (though actually, that photograph is of the view down Rush Street and not of the Magnificent mile at all…just thought I’d better admit to that <g>)

The Architecture Tour boats on the river were full on this warm Sunday morning.

Our target for this morning was the American Writers Museum (no apostrophe!)

Brand new for this season, Mary had read an article and thought it worth following up.

First stop was the Children’s Room, where displays of Charlotte’s Web and Little Women proved great reminders that some of our favourite books were written by American authors.

Around the corner was a lengthy timeline, with almost too much information to take in on a single visit.  Opposite was a wall of a hundred authors, highlighting their principal works.  The museum was almost completely interactive, so these boards were there to be turned to find out further information.  Above is the “box” labelled Dale Carnegie, How to Make Friends and Influence People 1936.   Some boxes played music when opened, others had a short video or a photograph to illustrate a point.  Of course, there wasn’t time to open every box, so we chose those which piqued our interest most and thanked heavens that there was only a few other people there, so we could do as we liked.

Thankfully, I had one or two favourite American authors and didn’t feel too ignorant!

So I focused on those I knew and did my best to extend my knowledge as I went along!

As we went long the timeline, we kept hearing a rousing chorus but couldn’t work out where it was coming from until we came across this.  So we stopped and listened a couple of times!

We enjoyed a diversion in the form of a display about Jack Kerouac’s On The Road and thought we should write our own Road Trip novel.

Actually, there might have been inspiration in some form here?

The photographs certainly had a ring of familiarity about them!

Perhaps the most fun was on the interactive screens, one of which was an electronic version of the magnetic poetry. 

My challenge was a preponderance of prepositions and one, single adverb (carefully)

In particular, I liked the display of local authors, hanging on a kind of clothes rail.  I made a note of that one as a potential starting point for a future exhibition!

Having done with the museum (which we enjoyed and felt able to linger as long as we wanted) we crossed over to the park and joined the crowds in the sunshine.

I was the only one brave enough to venture under the Bean, since it was shoulder to shoulder under there, as you can see.

Enough of the crowds and the heat, then, we escaped the park and headed into the Loop, in the hope of finding a cold drink in a cool place.  Thank you Dunkin Donuts.

It was a slow stroll back to the hotel then, past the old Marshall Fields department store on State Street.

We found amusement in the windows of the hotel with the window seats and matching cushions in every window.

We joined the crowd by the tall building bearing the President’s name and the “Real/Fake” installation in front of it, taking a picture along with them all.

I made a short detour to check out Guppy Bags at the Patagonia Store** a little further up Michigan Avenue and returning to the hotel, reflected on our days in Chicago.  We love this city!

Tomorrow at this time, we’ll be at the airport, going our separate ways after another ace trip.  But hey, there’s still one more breakfast at Tempo to look forward to and who knows what we might find to do tomorrow?!

* I might have given one a squeeze

** As a means of following through the NFWI resolution agreed in Liverpool last month

Right back where we started

Almost three weeks of road tripping and we’re headed back to where we began.  Green Bay has been a real joy.  The people are delightful and there’s a real sense of place here, even if it does come dressed in green and yellow!

We hit the interstate this morning, aiming to make the journey as trouble-free and uneventful as we could.  We’ve driven part of it before, when we began our road trip in Milwaukee, so from time to time we spotted a familiar landmark.

After four hours or thereabouts, we were approaching the city.  We’ve driven this route once or twice before, knowing which exit to take and best of all, that we’d soon be there.

There it was again, the Murakami sign which started it all three weeks ago.  Can it really be so long?

Gazing through our windows on the 18th floor this time, we smiled and felt glad to be here in Chicago again, even if it does mean our road trip is almost over.  I spotted some folks on the roof opposite having a bit of a party, it being the 4th July weekend and all of that.

I couldn’t resist zooming in to see what was going on!  (naughty….I know)

I kept my finger on the zoom button and snapped again – Mmmmmm, hummus!  ;-)

Dragging myself away from voyeuristic activities, I got my act together and we made our way down to Michigan Avenue, where things were a little busy.

 

We took a look in the American Girl Place, interested to see the doll of the year and her companion, which Mary had heard about but not seen yet.  Sure enough, there was Tenney, a musician and her friend Logan, together with a variety of instruments and music cartridges to play in the amplifier.

Personally, I preferred Z-Yang, imaginative film maker with a slightly geeky vibe.  Much more interesting and characterful!  But this is no shop for those with mere pocket money – we’re talking considerable investment here!

Speaking of investment, we mooched over to Eileen Fisher, who had sent me an email this morning with news of extra special offers and additional discounts this weekend.  But I’d already looked around last time we were here and more or less knew that this season’s style wasn’t for me.  As we sat in Starbucks opposite, I thought how dull their offering looked.  I mean, those olive green jersey trousers in the window, with a plain white T shirt and cropped denim jacket?  No thanks – and a 15% discount on investment level prices leaves them way too expensive for this time.

So we headed for our favourite popcorn shop!

I took the same photographs I always take when I’m here and still loved looking at the view.

On the way back, feeling the heat a little, we took a look in Crate and Barrel, where the Inspired Kitchen was themed in copper and marble.  I love Crate and Barrel, even if the copper/marble vibe isn’t for me.

We were really spinning it out a bit, so we’d be hungry enough to drop into Giordanos on our way back.  Having had no lunch and no snacks, we were hungry.

But we still couldn’t finish.

So lovely to be here again!

Go Pack Go

I know, it could be the theme of our road trip and as soon as I saw it on a T shirt in the window of the Green Bay Packers shop, I knew it’d make a great souvenir.

We know nothing about American Football.  We knew nothing about the Green Bay Packers beyond the story I shared yesterday about Edward’s friend Seb and the year of the Superbowl.  But arriving in the city yesterday afternoon, passing the huge Lambeau Field and noticing almost everyone sporting a Green Bay Packers logo in some form or other (no exaggeration, i promise) we realised that this is an important feature of life in this city.  This morning, we planned a visit to the field to find out more.

The statues in front would soon become known to us.  Vince Lombardi (after whom the road was named) and Curly Lambeau.  Two heroes in Packers history.

As soon as we stepped inside, we knew we were to hear a very special story.

We were very fortunate indeed to be part of Candy’s group.  She was a great guide, full of energy and information.  She explained how the Packers had been started by Curly Lambeau in 1919 and how Vince Lombardi had inspired them to huge success.

She told how the club is owned by its fans – or by the people of the city, which appear to be one and the same group of people, because just as we suspected, everyone here is a Packers supporter.  The picture above shows the walkway between the stadium and the training ground, where each year, a tradition takes place.

As we stood in the stands high above the pitch, we learned how the games have been fully sold out since 1960.  After a rocky few years, the Packers regained their status as one of the major football teams and a visionary President, Bob Harlan extended the stadium and consolidated operations here at Lambeau Field.  The stadium holds 81k spectators and there are 81k season ticket holders (even though there are only 104k inhabitants of Green Bay).

Moving up further, to the very classy seats high above the pitch, we learned they cost $395 per game, but of course, are all sold by season ticket.  An “ordinary” ticket down on the benches costs $129 per match, with the most expensive terrace seats costing $550 per match.  We knew the waiting list was long, but hearing there are 130k names on the list right now came as a surprise.  With just 80 or 90 places becoming available each year, it’s estimated that it will take over 900 years for the last names on the list to get a season ticket!

Good grief.   Season tickets can be passed to close relatives, but not sold on privately.  These are rare and extraordinarily valuable (and, at hundreds of dollars per match, expensive!) commodities.

Whilst we were reeling from such statistics, wondering how on earth the average person ever affords such things  (whilst knowing that there are 81k people who can and do) we continued our tour.  It was a gorgeous morning and the views were spectacular, right over to the lake and with a fine view of the city.

But in the winter?  Brrrr!   Candy told me they can get 70” of snow here and that people are paid $10 an hour to clear snow from the seats before a match.  The pitch itself is heated by warm water pipes underneath.

By now, we were at the most expensive level of seating; the best of both worlds.  Outside, for the atmosphere but with an indoor area for when it gets really cold and access to a club in the stand too.

“Ordinary” seating was closest to the pitch and was formed of simple benches with 18” placements.

(In the lift, Candy warned us that as we arrived at the next floor, the (rival) Bears’ anthem would be played.  “Listen out”, she advised, as the doors opened and the announcement “Going Down” was heard.   Much tittering in the audience, then!)

Our stadium tour complete, we did a quick tour of the Hall of Fame/Packers Museum.  I learned that I wouldn’t cut the mustard when it comes to hand size!

It was all rather interesting, though we didn’t really have the knowledge to make the most of the exhibits.

And I never did find out what the white “hanky” the players tuck into their waistband is for.

But I did find my souvenir T shirt in the shop!

After a basket of parmesan fried cheese curds (well, we are in Wisconsin!) we left Lambeau Field and the Packers behind and moved on to the Railroad Museum.

My Hero had done his homework and knew what to expect here, looking forward especially to seeing the electric GG1 engine and the Union Pacific “Big Boy” next door.

We’d seen the huge Allegheny engine in the Ford collection, but this was even bigger. Enormous!

Alongside, rather small in comparison, was the Dwight D Eisenhower.  Familiar to us as the Mallard or Sir Nigel Gresley, I was a little irritated by the lampstand which spoiled the pictures we tried to take of it.

One of the first model engines we came across was this Aerotrain, designed to appeal to a car owning generation during the 1950s.

Out in the shed was the sad reality.  An Aerotrain and two carriages was there, looking rather shabby and the carriages in particular in pretty poor shape. 

Our here were other engines, some indoors, others outside but all looking rather sorry and uncared for.

I appreciate that it’s an enormous task to bring everything into first class order, but couldn’t help but feel that it’d be better to keep these things under wraps and not have them on general view.

It’s hardly inspiring to see such a jumble of steel and rust and those for whom these engines would provide important research resources could be given special access if necessary.

It was hard to imagine how any small boy would feel inspired to learn more by most of these “works in progress” and without my hero on hand to explain what was what, I think we’d have given up and left, once we’d seen the first three engines.

Green Bay has proved to be more of a railway city than I imagined, though, for we returned to Titletown for dinner this evening, sitting beneath this fun clock, even if my hero did comment that the engine was not originally painted in Packers colours!

And though I’ve tried to scrub it off, I appear to have another lasting souvenir of the Packers to take to Chicago with me tomorrow 

Into the Dairy State

Years ago, when our trips to the USA were usually to Florida to escape the January gloom, Edward’s friend Seb took a shine to the Green Bay Packers, who were one of the teams in that year’s Superbowl.  Little did we know that, some years later, we’d find ourselves in Green Bay, driving past the Packers stadium and considering a visit there tomorrow!

I have to say, our last night in Michigan in a Holiday Inn Express in Munising, was not the most successful.  The hotel was packed full with large, noisy families and at times, the door slams and thud-thud thud of running down the halls reminded us that, as much fun as road trips can be, there are times when we look forward to being at home. 

As we wheeled our luggage out to the car, one family was stuffing what seemed like the contents of their home (and their neighbour’s), the family bedding, a couple of week’s food shopping, a kayak or two and a few bikes into theirs.  Rather them than me.

The first part of our journey was on bumpy, pot holed roads through the Hiawatha National Forest.  A bit like driving at home, then!

After an hour or more, we found ourselves back alongside Lake Michigan.

We crossed a river with a significant water operation going on too, though I have no idea where it was.  I must have been snoozing!

Eventually, just when we were all feeling a little dopey, we arrived in Escanaba, where a small lighthouse gave us reason to get out of the car and get some fresh air.

Ah, the lake.

We found ourselves on the Circle Lake Michigan route once again.

Occasionally, we pass something which makes me grab my camera and take a quick snap.  Who knew the Lloyd Loom chairs were made here?  Not me!  (But there’s a chequered history of the company/design/manufacture it seems)

But I was ready for the state line snap, in the middle of a bridge.  Saying ‘bye to Michigan and hello Wisconsin.

Marinette, the first city over the border was an elegant place with large, imposing buildings.

My hero screeched to a halt outside a quilt shop shortly afterwards, too.

The dilemma was, what fabric to choose as a souvenir from our Michigan road trip when we’re already in Wisconsin?  The answer, some mitten-patterned flannel for a cushion or two!

Into the Dairy state then, with green meadows, Holstein cattle and large red barns.

Hey, there’s a quilt on that one!

Soon, we were into Green Bay and one of the first landmarks we saw was the imposing Lambeau Field, where the Packers play.

The cute image in the foyer of the Hampton Inn said it all.  Cows and football, eh?

We set off to walk over the bridge to dinner this evening, except that as we did, the bells rang and the bridge lifted.  As it went down again, the bridge master came out to address a couple of young men who had ducked under the gates and crossed as it was opening/closing.  He’d called the police and was especially vigilant as result of an accident last week. 

We were heading for the highly recommended Titletown, located in the former depot of the Chicago and North Western Railroad.

One of us was especially interested in the artwork, but the food was pretty good too

A Superior frame of mind

We left Sault Ste Marie this morning and began our journey through part of the Upper Peninsula, where the Yoopers live.  Our route was highly recommended by those who know about such things and whilst putting some details on our map, we realised that much of it followed the Whitefish Bay Scenic Drive.

And yes, much of it followed the coast of Lake Superior.

By sheer coincidence, I discovered that one of the pages I’d scanned before leaving home was a commentary of our planned journey today.  Yes, of course we watched for black bears.  No, we did not see any

Our first stop was the lookout over Spectacle Lake.   Lovely!

Next stop was the Port Iroquois Lighthouse, a little further along the lake shore.

These byways are so well documented and offer a great deal of information along the way.

We had a great view of the shipping channel from here, unsurprisingly.  That’s Canada over there, by the way.

A sturdy boardwalk led down to the lakeside.

Once again, we noted that the Great Lakes are enormous, like inland seas really.

Yes, I had to put my feet in Lake Superior.  Brrrr! 

What a great place.  But the bugs were out and we’d not applied any repellent this morning, so it was time to go before we regretted it!

Nevertheless, I had to take a photograph of the stones in the lake.  All colours, they looked beautiful in the clear water, even if they didn’t make paddling very easy.

The next stop on our page was Pendills Creek Fish Hatchery.  Worth a stop?

Why not?

In fifteen minutes or so, we learned so much from Julie, a member of the hatchery staff, who expertly outlined the background to the project and the whole process of restocking the Great Lakes with trout; a project which has been so successful that the number of trout is almost at a self-sustaining level now.

Part of the fun of a road trip is learning about things we never knew were there to learn about!

Anyway, full marks, Pendills Creek Hatchery.  Full marks plus to Julie, too!

By the time we’d reached Salt Point, we felt we’d got the measure of the Lake Superior beaches.  That smooth sand was just too inviting though.

Shame I didn’t get my character placement correct, though!  Sorry Mary.

The last stop on the scenic route was the very tip of the peninsula: Whitefish Point.  Though there is a lighthouse here and another lovely beach, the main attraction is the Shipwreck Museum.

We began our visit with the introductory film, which focused on what is probably the best known shipwreck amongst many such events in the near vicinity, the Edmund Fitzgerald.

We saw how the original ship’s bell had been lifted to form a memorial to the 29 lost souls and outside, took a look at what appears to be a new memorial on the beach nearby.  As we did, the soundtrack in our minds was Gordon Lightfoot.

There was a small collection of items relating to the US Coastguard nearby.

How primitive some of the lifesaving implements were, too.

In the reconstructed lighthouse keeper’s cottage, the figure was eerily realistic!

The main event, the museum itself, was excellent, if a little sobering.  Here was that bell, raised from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald together with the stories of many other dreadful events which have occurred in these treacherous waters.

After a while, we took refuge in the gift shop, where the “Superior state of mind” took shape.

We had just one more item on our list for today: The Tahquamenon Falls.

We knew to expect brown, tannin-coloured water, but were surprised by the extent of the falls.  They are pretty huge!

Well into the afternoon by now, it was time to crack on towards Munising, our overnight stay.

This is a part of the world where people fix snowploughs on their pickup trucks.  I spotted this one in the Ford dealer’s nearby and saw it as an advertising example, but here in our hotel car park, there is a similar vehicle parked near to our own. Be prepared, eh?

Sadly, it’s our last night in Michigan, because tomorrow we cross the border into Wisconsin.  Who knew it was going to be such a magnificent journey through such a superior state?

(Yes, of course you did, Joanne and Terry )