A Long Weekend in Chicago
Michelle and I needed a vacation, so we took a long weekend and went to Chicago. This time around we decided to skip the touristy stuff and relax, do a little shopping, and see as much free stuff as we could.
We spent a lot of time at Navy Pier (whence this photo), and dropped by the Art Institute for their free admission evening (Thursdays after 5 PM). We also spent a morning in Chicago’s small (but very nice) Chinatown. While there we had dim sum, bought some snacks and miscellaneous souvenirs, and I picked up some very good tea at Ten Ren.
The next day we went to the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is probably the best small zoo I’ve ever seen. It blew the Central Park Zoo away. All the exhibits were really well-designed to get you right up close to the animals. The aviary had a design I’ve never seen before, with a long, dark hallway full of mostly un-glassed-in exhibits. Apparently the birds stay out of the hallway because the darkness might be hiding predators. The ape and lion exhibits were also very nice, although the indoor big cat area was still the old-fashioned kind with bars. Between the screaming kids and the roaring fans (to keep the heat at a tolerable level) the poor cats must have been deaf or half-insane.
The one thing we did pay for was the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. Michelle’s a big fan of the books and the movies, and while I don’t know anything about them I thought it’d be fun to tag along. We took a taxi down to the museum, which is way out in BFE as compared to most Chicago attractions, and waited in line with about 50 kids and their parents while an overly-cheerful English woman asked trivia questions. Of course, the kids knew the answers to everything. Kids are like sponges for useless information. The exhibit was actually really cool. Even though I’ve only seen one of the movies (in Argentina, because it was the only movie at the theater in English), seeing all the props and sets was interesting. We paid extra for the audio tour, so we got to hear the producers and costume designers talk about where each piece came from, how it was made, etc. Michelle had a really good time, and I enjoyed it on a technical, “my god, this must have taken forever to accomplish” level.
All in all the weekend was a big success - no tall buildings (we’re still bitter from the Empire State Building debacle), no meals over $30, and plenty of relaxation. I can’t wait to go back.
