Field Museum of Natural History

This was to be our last full day in Chicago so we decided to head for the Field Museum of Natural History. We particularly wanted to see the special exhibition of ' Tutankhamun'. We also wanted to explore some of the permanent displays that we had read about in the Guide Books. It is one of the world's great natural history museums with a collection of over 20 million objects.
On our way back to the hotel, we found a sushi bar where we enjoyed a delicious meal of beautifully presented sushi.

A late afternoon walk in Millennium Park and Daley Bicentennial Plaza

After enjoying 'Wicked' we decided to explore Millennium Park. Pat Y had told us about a huge shiny sculpture in the park ... so we headed for the area where that is set up adjacent to a lot of outdoor cafes and garden areas. There were various bands playing around the park as well as entertainment for families. It is a wonderful area that provides a feeling of space and greenery between the lake and the main part of the city with the long streets of very tall buildings. We walked on the pedestrian bridge across North Columbus Drive and spent some time in the gardens of Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

Wicked - A New Musical

Pat Y told us about an amazing new musical currently playing in Chicago. It is 'Wicked' which is a prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz ' and tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. We found the Theatre and we were fortunate enough to find two seats (not together) still available for the Sunday afternoon matinee.
After we had spent time with Susan Pershing, we walked over to the theatre. We absolutely loved the show and immediately purchased the CD to continue enjoying the music. We would highly recommend 'Wicked' to anyone who enjoys musical theatre.

Susan Pershing

We phoned Susan Pershing, a good friend from our time in Haifa, who is now in the Chicago area. We arranged to meet her for coffee in Starbucks that is part of Borders Bookshop on State Street. It was a lot of fun to catch up with Susan.

Meeting David from Horsham

As we were returning to the hotel, a group of men approached us from the opposite direction and one young man spoke to us saying ... you must be Edward and Noel. We were rather suspicious as we did not recognise him at all. Then he went on to tell us that he had seen our photograph on the side of the fridge in our daughter's home in Horsham, Victoria. It was amazing that he could have recognised us on a dim street in Chicago and realised that it was us ... simply based on having sen a tiny image on the side of a fridge. We were most impressed with his keen eye and visual memory. We had to have a photograph of this incredible meeting.

Fireworks and the Venetian Night

Pat Y told us about a special event that happens annually during the summer in Chicago. It is called Venetian Night when local yachts are decorated with exotic themes and parade in the lake adjacent to Grant Park. We walked through part of the huge park past several interesting sculptures and fountains and joined quite a large crowd of people to watch the yachts sail past . As well there was a fly over with some airforce jets followed by some fireworks.

Monet's Haystacks

One of my favourite rooms at the Art Institute is the room where six of Monet's paintings of haystacks are displayed. They are amazing paintings.

The Art Institute

Today we planned on spending the whole day at The Art Institute. We divided up the time between morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. We had a wonderful day exploring the rich collection at this famous museum. I collect photos of lions where ever I go. I like the majestic examples that can be found on either side of the main entrance to the Art Institute.