Map of Chicago

I visited my daughter, Britt, and my cousin, Meg, in Chicago for my birthday as a present from my daughter. It was the first time I had been in Chicago except for its airports.  Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, after New York City and Los Angeles. Its city center is compact and it is easy to get around by bus, train, cab, or just walking. There were many visitors besides me in Chicago, both domestic and foreign. Chicago weather can be too hot, too cold, too windy, too rainy, or just right, being just right while I was there. Everyone was also very friendly. The only bad experience I had in Chicago was the taxi ride I had from the airport––they way the driver drove terrified me, but all other cab drivers I had behaved themselves. This map should help you follow the places that I visited in Chicago.

Michigan Avenue–“The Magnificent Mile”

My hotel was conveniently located just off Michigan Avenue. My daughter met me at my hotel; then we took a walk down Michigan Avenue along a section of it called “The Magnificent Mile” because of all the upscale stores and restaurants on it. We ate lunch at the Ralph Lauren Restaurant. I have put my photos of Michigan Avenue on a slide show. Go to Slide Shows, United States, Chicago, “Michigan Avenue––’The Magnificent Mile'” or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/michigan–avenue–the–magnificent–mile/

Chicago River Architecture Cruise

After lunch, we walked along Michigan Avenue to the Chicago River to go on an architecture cruise. I put my photos of the cruise on a slide show. Go to Slide Shows, United States, Chicago, “Chicago River Architecture Cruise” or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/chicago–river–architecture–cruise/

Chicago’s Art Institute

The next morning, my cousin, Meg, took me to the Art Institute, a major museum with 300,000 works of art. I was mainly interested in the Impressionalists and some American paintings. It would take many trips to the museum to see its collection. I have put my favorite paintings on a slide show along with paintings of a special Roy Lichenstein exhibit being held there. I’m not a great fan of Lichenstein but the exhibit nonetheless was fascinating. Go to Slide Shows, United States, Chicago, “Art Institute” or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/art–institute/

Millennium Park

My daughter joined us after we visited the Art Institute for lunch at the Park Grill in Millennium Park and then we walked around the park. The sculpture in the photo is called “Cloud Gate” and it is by Anish Kappor. It reflects not only the color of the sky but also the people taking photos of it.

Millennium Park Video Sculpture

There are two video sculptures in Millennium Park. I took two movies of one of them. Movie 1.

Millennium Park Video Sculpture

More of the action of the sculpture.

Public Art–Pablo Picasso

There is a large number of public art sculptures in Chicago, especially in the area called the Loop. I saw only a few. The map I had of where the sculptures were gave the impression that they were close together, but this was not the case. I recommend taking a walking sculpture tour early in the morning before you are too tired out from other sightseeing to have enough energy for it. One of the statues that I did see was the one in this photo: “Untitled” by Pablo Picasso. I have put my photos of Millennium Park and the Loop on a slide show. Go to Slide Shows, United States, Chicago, “Millennium Park and the Loop” or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/millennium–park–and–the–loop/

For my birthday dinner, my cousin and I took a cab to meet my daughter and her boyfriend at an Italian restaurant. This was the first time I had met him and I was pleased.

The Navy Pier

The Municipal Pier, renamed the Navy Pier in 1927 in honor of World War I veterans, was built in 1927 on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It is 3,300 feet long (1,010 m long) and is an entertainment, eating, and docking center. My daughter and I visited the pier the next day and ate lunch there.

On Lake Michigan

After lunch, we took a water taxi from the Navy Pier to the Museum Complex area. The water of Lake Michigan was an incredible blue––so beautiful. Photo: the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan.

Jazz Player

From the Museum Complex, we walked to Grant Park. On the way, in a tunnel, was a jazz player giving a concert. I didn’t go to any of the jazz clubs in Chicago when I was here, so it was a treat hearing some Chicago jazz. I took a movie of the jazz player––go to Movies, United States, Chicago or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/chicago–movies/

“Agora”

We took the pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks to come into Grant Park where there was the “Agora” sculpture by Magalena Abakanowicz, consisting of a group of 106 headless and armless iron sculptures. I have put my photos of the Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, and Grant Park on a slide show. Go to Slide Shows, United States, Chicago, “Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, Grant Park” or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/navy–pier–lake–michigan–grant–park/

Dinner on the Chicago River

My daughter, her boyfriend, and I had dinner tonight at a restaurant on the Chicago River––very nice. Chicago is a restaurant town and your choices of restaurants are many.

Fireworks Cruise and Chicago at Night

Every Wednesday and Saturday nights during the summer, there are fireworks near the Navy Pier. We took a fireworks cruise to see both the fireworks and Chicago at night. The blue building is the Trump International Hotel and Tower, the second tallest building in the United States.

Chicago at Night

More of Chicago at night.

Chicago at Night

More of Chicago at night.

Chicago at Night

The ferris wheel at the Navy Pier.

Chicago at Night

The Navy Pier on the right and the Chicago skyline.

Chicago at Night

The Navy Pier and the Chicago skyline.

The Fireworks Show

The fireworks show was beautiful. I took a movie of the entire show. Go to Movies, United States, Chicago or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/chicago–movies/

View from the John Hancock Lounge

My last day in  Chicago––my daughter and I went to the John Hancock building near my hotel. The John Hancock building is the fourth tallest building in Chicago and the sixth tallest in the United States. It has an observation deck, but my daughter and I didn’t want to pay $35 each to go up to it (the Willis Tower observation deck is about half the price), so we went up to its lounge on, I think, the 92nd floor and took this photo which shows Lake Michigan and the Navy Pier. More photos are on the slide show “Michigan Avenue––”The Magnificent Mile.”

I had a short though great and busy trip to Chicago, but it was time to go back home to L.A.