Wednesday, 9/17

Okay.  Yesterday I promised that today I'd have trip pictures. And for once, I didn't over-promise.

That's a good thing, right?

We had a blast during our four (well, three and a half if you count the fog delay) trip to the second greatest place in the United States. We stayed at a hotel in the Loop at which we've stayed once before. It was in a great location for getting everywhere from Grant Park to Greektown, and if there was some place we didn't feel like walking, our 7-day Ventra Pass allowed us to hop on Blue or Red Line trains and be somewhere in a matter of minutes.

And by the way, if you're ever in Chicago for any length of time, I HIGHLY recommend the Ventra Pass. I really do.

One interesting aspect to this getaway is that while I brought a camera I didn't pull it out of my backpack. I didn't feel like lugging it around and I've taken so many long-lens pictures in Chicago that I didn't think there were any pictures left to take that way. Of course, as always, I was wrong about that, but that's on me. So, for the first time ever, every single picture I took was with my phone, perhaps not the best way to take pictures but still a pretty good way to take shots of the famous skyline--

Of the Greek food we ate--

Of the Indian food we ate--

Of the park were we ate some of the 80,000 pieces of baked goods we purchased--

Of the ice cream selection at the Korean grocery store where we buy European chocolate, including flavors like avocado and purple sweet potato--

You could also take shots of the Chicago River--

Of the light shining through one of the bridges on the Chicago River--

Of the sun setting between buildings because we were lucky enough to be there during "Chicagohenge", when the sun sets directly down the middle of the streets--

And, finally, a shot of what's rapidly becoming one of our of favorite buildings to visit every time we're there, the sandstone Marquette Building--

Marquette and sandstone. If you've ever scoffed when I said Marquette and Chicago and alike, just 100 times apart in size, scoff no more.

8-)

Like I said, the only pictures I took were with my phone, but you know what? I think what I did take turned out quite nicely. Marquette South (excuse me, Chicago) is just one of those places where it's almost impossible to take a bad picture.

Just like it's almost impossible to not enjoy yourself while you're there.

(jim@wmqt.com)