Day 11: The Windy City

Day 11: Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois

Wildlife Spotting: Nada.

Distance Traveled: 510 km/319 miles

Total Distance Traveled: 6056 km/3786 miles

We left Eau Claire, Wisconsin bright and early in the morning so that we could make it to Chicago with plenty of time to be tourists. 

When we got to Chicago, we were welcomed with sunshine and HEAT, which told us it was going to be a good day. We definitely felt out of place walking downtown in shorts and tshirts, past everyone in full suits and jackets.  I think it's going to take us a while to get used to this heat and humidity again.

We walked along Lake Michigan, past all of the boats in the harbor, and got excited to be able to spend some quality time with Lake Huron, at the beach and the cottage.  It's been a while since we've had the kind of beach day I became used to before moving to Alaska.

As an early birthday present, Steve took me to the Shedd Aquarium. It was jam packed with excited grade school children, and I fit right in, feeling their excitement. It was amazing!  Steve was inundated with my blurting of random facts and reminiscing of my university courses and previous jobs as we saw dolphins, belugas, rays, sea lions, penguins, otters and thousands of fish. 

Get ready for the aquarium pictures...

Sting ray touch tank.

Leafy sea dragon.

Busy penguin.

Jellies.

More jellies.

Cichlids (I'm all too familiar with these guys from my college Evolution class).

Piranha.

Stadium show: "One World".

After the aquarium, we hit up some of the touristy spots.  Had to get the token tourist picture at Cloud Gate, or "the bean".

We stopped to for beers along the river.  And hit up Gino's for some authentic deep dish pizza.

My first visit to downtown Chicago was an eventful one and we could have easily spent another day exploring the city. But, at this point, we're antsy to get home.

So, until next time, when we cross the oh so familiar border and arrive over 6600 kilometres/4500 miles from Alaska.