5:42pm. Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, Chicago Union Station
This one is going to be a two-fer. That is, two days described in a single article.
Yesterday, I made the move from the Ohio House Motel to the Marriott at UIC. It’s about two miles west of the downtown area, and has the usual atmosphere one would expect from a Marriott, but not quite as expensive as a Marriott in the downtown area. After a bit of housekeeping and setting up shop, as far as my computer and clothes were concerned, I got out of the hotel at about noon to head to the Field Museum.
Located at the Museum Campus on the lake shore (and next to Soldier Field), the Field contained several exhibits of varying sizes, and as seen from the inside as from the outside, the place is massive. As an appetizer, and as part of my City Pass coupon, I started my jaunt there with a 3-D movie about Egypt and mummification. The film touched on the role of DNA analysis, and how the currently preserved Pharaohs still had their DNA intact in their bone marrow. The potential discoveries from this type of analysis seem endless.
Next was the extensive exhibit on the evolution of life on Earth, including a large section on dinosaurs. Fascinating topic and exhibits, even if it’s something I’ve seen before in other museums. Included in the collection is Lucy, the most complete dino skeleton found and assembled. You can see the details of the bones throughout the structure, including places of calcification and possible damage. There is also a smallish exhibit on birds’ direct lineage to the prehistoric dinosaurs. There were also smaller exhibits on meteorites, vulcanism, and the culture and artifacts of Tibet.
You will need at least one full day to get through the Field, and many of the events cost extra, in addition to the ticket price. But the Field boasts an enviable collection of artifacts, natural and otherwise, and if done as part of the City Pass coupon, may be worth the trip.
My next stop was to be the Alder Planetarium, which was a short walk away. But, by the time I got there, it was closed. Better luck tomorrow, I said to myself. I wanted to take a Chicago River Tour, and Seadog offered these tours on their hundred-seat speedboats for $40/person. I made a reservation, and after figuring out the mass transit situation, headed over to the Navy Pier.
The Navy Pier is probably one of the biggest tourist traps I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of them. It contains probably one of the highest densities of trinket/souvenir/novelty shops per person that I’ve ever seen, so I thought, OK, steer clear of those places. Still, though, I couldn’t resist a small bowl of “Chicago Snow” (a non-milk, cream-ice product), which may as well have been falling as soon as I started into it because the rain and thunder came in with a vengeance. Rain pelted the Pier, the windows, and everywhere else in Chicago as I sat and wondered about my boat reservation. Will they cancel? Can I get my money back?
I had these questions in my mind when i sauntered down toward the end of the Pier (all indoors, but with a sieve-like roof), and discovered a Tiffany stained-glass window gallery. A small gallery, but the price was good: $0. The exhibits took on a church-like aura even though some of the themes were not directly related to religion. Definitely something to stop by if you're in the area.
I then headed to the Billy Goat Tavern Grill. Here, I discovered that the concept of “salami” here was different than what I was accustomed to - a large patty that covered the bun like a hamburger patty rather than what I find on a pizza. Still, with the condiments applied liberally, it worked. Not what I would call wall-to-wall nutrition, but just enough to take the edge off.
The rain was continuing to pour down, so I walked over to the Seadog office. They told me that yes, my 7:15 architecture tour would be cancelled, and they kindly refunded me. Next time I’m in Chi-Town, I’ll give them a ring…
This day demonstrated why changing hotels in mid-stream may not be the best decision. I took the Marriott because I have points with their rewards program and wanted to add to them. But, for future reference, the better choice would have been to stay at the Ohio House. Lesson learned.
Fast forward to today.
After packing my bags and leaving them in storage with the bell hop, I took the “L” Pink Line back downtown, and then Bus 146 to the Alder Planetarium. Again, this trip was made possible by the City Pass coupon book - if you’re there for but a few days, get it. After a bit of browsing of the exhibits (most of which seemed to be geared for kids, who were found in quantity and mostly in field trip groups), I headed to the main dome theater for two shows - one pertaining to the “wonders of the cosmos”, the other dealing with the solar system. Both were led by live guides as opposed to a faceless narrator, which I found interesting. The first show was created in a way that could be easily understood by most in the audience, and didn’t disappoint as far as using the dome for full warp-speed effect. The second show, however, was definitely meant for the kids: cheesy, hokey, and requires someone of my age or older (or slightly younger) to turn off the more “mature” portion of their brains and pretend you’re a kid to enjoy.
I didn't stay too long in the Alder, as I was limited on my tourism time and I wanted to see the Museum of Broadcast Communications. I had heard about this place soon after I arrived in Chicago, I think it was listed on one of the Google maps I use to plan these jaunts. I negotiated the mass transit, then walked a few blocks to said museum. Places like this are, for me, like a candy store to a kid, and while the Museum was a bit on the small side, it didn't disappoint. The first thing you see are the doors used on Oprah Winfrey's long-running TV show. Up the stairs to the second floor, and you're greeted by a sculpture, shaped in a pyramid and about fifteen feet tall, made up of old electronic equipment and TV monitors, some of which were showing TV shows from the fifties through the eighties. Turn left and in, and you're greeted by the Radio Hall of Fame. Here, you'll find the names of some of the people you may listen to now, or have in the past. I recognized the names of Jim Dunbar, Ronn Owens, and Mike Luckhoff (KGO Radio San Francisco), Rush Limbaugh (insert Bronx cheer here), Vin Scully, and many others. There was also an exhibit devoted to Johnny Carson's tenure on The Tonight Show, including cue cards, monologue notes, props, costumes, and other related memorabilia. There were the exhibits dealing with vintage TV commercials, musical/drama/comedy/variety shows, and other aspects of vintage broadcasting. There is also a display of Edgar Bergen's original, made-of-wood alter egos, including Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Even people with a passing interest in old TV or radio shows will likely find this museum to be a trip back to their own childhoods and formative years. In short, it's $12/adult well spent.
(As a point of trivia, the founder and curator of the museum is a nephew of broadcasting pioneer Allan B. DuMont. I recommend googling him - he's a key figure in TV's infancy, both from a manufacturing perspective and a content provider, having founded the DuMont Network).
After interesting conversation with one of the researchers and with the receptionist, I slid out, having completed tourism of this town to which I must return. Grabbed a bit of lunch, checked out a used bookstore (After Words), then headed back to the Marriott to collect my bags, finalize my packing, then call for Uber to take me to Union Station.
As I'm typing this now, I'm on the Capitol Limited, somewhere in Indiana and headed toward Pittsburgh. As with my other trips, I had dinner with three former strangers, all of whom were train enthusiasts of a degree much higher than me (and that's saying a lot!), and I heard the stories of various routes and their trips to Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York. They're apparently going to be in New York next Tuesday - I might see them there.
Enough for tonight. Tomorrow is another adventure.
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