Taken from the Army Corps of Engineers handout
Today we drove into Chicago to visit the Field Museum. And we thought Seattle had bad traffic... I forgot how many trucks there are in the Midwest.
We met a friend of Tom's for breakfast then off to the Field Museum. Afterward I wanted to visit the area around the museum because the park was a small airport when I lived in ILL (40 year ago). It seems a better use as a park and they call the area the Museum Campus. It is fairly close to Grant Park so a great place to hang out.
We did not dawdle because we had plans to meet my brother for dinner and there's traffic. Normally in a big city like this we would take public transit if possible. But the Field Museum is not easily accessible via transit and would have been a hassle. Now don't get me wrong people...we've been to Japan, remember? We can do trains. Parking was pretty convenient, just really skinny spaces and the address of the parking garage is not really the address of the parking entrance - it's a game. Only one 'round the block and we found it.
Dinner with my brother & sister-in-law was nice but went by quickly. They were just returning from a weekend trip and had to get home and we had to pack.
Today is all about my family and friends. No travel stuff.
This morning we had breakfast with my college friend Laura. Then Laura & I had sometime to catch up before it was time to get dressed for my cousin's wedding.
Link to pictures is coming
We started out with a tour for the Notre Dame Campus. Notre Dame was to play Purdue on Saturday so there was excitement for Football Friday. We got to the campus "early" so we could get parked and sign up for a tour. We arrive about 9:20 a.m. and the parking by the Visitor Center was already full and people everywhere. We found street parking and had plenty of time to sign up for the tour.
Some of the highlights of the tour are the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes made 1/7th size of the actual grotto, the Main Building also known as the Golden Dome, Hesburgh Library named from their longtime president (who was the guy who opened ND to woman in '72) also known as Touchdown Jesus and the stadium which accommodates 80,000 people.
We had lunch then it was off to the Indiana Dunes. As a kid we would visit here during the summer sometimes. To me it was great! I loved running up and down the dunes. On this vacation we had already been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes and at this point was just more sand.
Within the national park are these 5 houses called Century of Progress. A real estate developer purchased these houses after the 1933 Chicago's World's Fair. He moved them by barge. I could write more but I don't want to lose my audience who could care less. I took a picture of the sign that explains a bit more, I'll have Tom add it to his pictures.
https://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/historyculture/centuryofprogress.htm
We parked and walked to see the houses but the road was narrow so we walked on the beach. See the staircase to the pink house? Why not just walk up there? Why?! because your shoes & socks will be covered with burrs! Thankfully only i walked to the house, so we only had to pull them off of my feet.
We stopped at the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, IN to get a pin for my collection. Then it on to the Chicagoland traffic jam and we arrived in Lombard, IL.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/79q58E1061
This morning we walked to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. There were several field trips there, but kids make museums more interesting - well loud, if nothing else. There is a renovation taking place so unfortunately the fashion exhibit I wanted to see was unbearably loud. We took a few pictures. It was an interesting little museum.
Then we were off to our next city. Let me mention here that many cities/towns in the Midwest, certainly in Michigan and Illinois, are called Villages. I grew up in the Village of Summit (Illinois). Tom thought I was nuts, but I have been vindicated! He saw with his own eyes all the "Welcome to the Village of _______" signs.
Anyway we arrived in South Bend, Indiana. Our first visit was to... a car museum. (you're surprised, aren't you?) We went to the Studebaker Museum, which were made here in South Bend. Look for more car pictures and Tom in a red Studebaker.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/79q58E1061
There's also a barouche (type of carriage) which was Abraham Lincoln's. I believe the hearse is also for Abe Lincoln. Studebaker was the only carriage maker who successfully transition into a successful car maker, for a time.