Day 1

What a great day!  It was my first as a chaperone in Chicago and I was really impressed with the students and their behavior.  We started the day with a guided bus tour of the city.  We saw the "Magnificent Mile", Congress Hotel, and several art sculptures around the city.  After the bus tour we got out and walked about 2 miles through the city.  The weather was nice, so it was a comfortable walk for all.

We stopped at Millenium Park and took our group picture at "The Bean".  To the left is a picture of the skyline and the students.

 

We headed to Chinatown and got some gifts at the shops.  They had great bakeries and stores and a great view of the city.

Then it was time for lunch at Tommy Guns garage.  One of the waiters, "Muscles" stole the show (in the picture to the left).  The kids were intimidated, as well as the chaperones, and we did whatever he told us.  The show was a variety show and several students and chaperones participated on stage during the performance.  Everyone had a great time.


In the early evening we went to Navy Pier.  The students were able to shop in the stores and the biggest hit was the indoor maze.  After an hour we went to the IMAX theatre to see Avatar.  I was scepticle about the movie, but it ended up keeping us on the edge of our seat.  I didn't hear any complaints and heard a lot of "that was awesome!" in the hall afterwards.

After a quick dinner at the Rock n' Roll McDonalds we headed to the John Hancock building.  We rode the elevator to floor 94 and were able to view the city from a high vantage point.  There were audio guided tours through ipod devices where the students could learn information about what they were looking at.  Just a couple to share...1) The "El" train got its name because it is elevated above the ground, and 2) the "Windy City" comes from the politicians and their promises in the late 19th century.

After a great day everyone settled in quickly to get some rest for the next day.  We'll do it all again today as we have trips to the Shedd Aquarium and Field museum on the itinerary followed by dinner at Medieval Times.  Keep following us here and on Twitter at #jcmschi.