Field Museum and Art Institute, Chicago – 3/20/2015 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

March 20, 2015 (Friday)

Cold this morning, in the low 40’s, but we were up and out of our home by 8:30 AM. First thing we did was drive around the little town of Norway. Our friends, and other full time timeshare people – Ron and Joan, told us it was a very cute place. What a fun little town. I think we enjoyed it even more having a foreign exchange daughter from Norway, and several people we know and love from Norway.

Norwegian touch on the roof line of the small gas station and market.

The drive into Chicago was fine, until right before our exit and it got a little backed up. We had made arrangements yesterday (at the activities center) for a parking space ($10.00 for twelve hours) from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM. (We didn’t want to have to pay $30.00 or more like we did on Tuesday.) We arrived in Chicago a little before 10:00 AM, so we decided to just drive around for a little bit. We ended up driving to Chinatown. Really neat, but very small area.

Edie liked the graphics, I blew it up and cropped it a bit. So cool, an ad for Long Playing LP) records. — Edie liked the graphics, I blew it up and cropped it a bit. So cool, an ad for Long Playing (LP) records.

A Burka kind of thing going on. — A burka kind of thing going on.

It seems a little more than a block long.

The fine detail on the outsides of the buildings was interesting to see.

We were reminded of the detail of Gaudi.

Around 10:15 AM, we got to our parking space and started walking to the Field Museum. It didn’t look that far on the map, but you had to cross over on Roosevelt, which was a few blocks away. We met a nice man, named Bob, who was on a walk and just walked and showed us the right way to go. Happened (small world) that he also works as a volunteer at the Field Museum. Couldn’t have picked a better person to lead the way!

The garage exit took us through a residential building lobby. Very nice.

We took off walking, admiring the beautiful residences along the way. At some point I realized we were going to far south. Edie asked the next person we came across. — We took off walking, admiring the beautiful residences along the way. At some point I realized we were going too far south. Edie asked the next person we came across.

A very nice gentlemen that said, "Come with me." Fun dogs being walked. — A very nice gentlemen that said, “Come with me.” Fun dogs being walked.

Our paths parted, he explained the last few tunnels and turns to get right to the museum. Bob, nice guy.

Marble steps, havent — Marble steps, haven’t seen that since Italy.

Ceiling like the Pantheon. Ionic capitols. — Ceiling like the Pantheon. Ionic capitals.

We got to the Field Museum ($15.00 per person, senior, basic entrance) and immediately got to see Sue. She’s HUGE! Her head wasn’t hers as her head weighs 600 pounds and was just too heavy to put on the exhibit. Her real head was upstairs, which we also got to see.

Sue. — I think some of our ancestors were eaten by

13 feet high at the hip! 42 feet long, most remarkable. View from above.

Her real head. She died at 28 years of age. They don’t know the cause.

Her fossilized remains are deformed. They theorize she was stepped on as she was decaying, caving in a side of her head. — Her fossilized remains are deformed. They theorize she was stepped on as she was decaying, caving in a side of her head and bending her teeth.

So many exhibits. One we didn’t care for was the stuffed animal exhibit as we felt so bad for all the poor animals (and a lot of babies). We would much rather see the animals live.

Interesting, but so many dead things, creepy.

I am a big guy and I felt small next to this fellow.

Interesting but creepy. Would way rather see a video of one in the wild.

This was the type that bothered us most of all. Stuffed babies is just not cool. — This was the type that bothered us most of all. Stuffed babies – just not cool.

They had a rock and gem exhibit, a jewelry exhibit, a evolution of the earth exhibit, and then a bunch of others that you pay for (Vodou, Vikings, and others). Great museum. Loved it. Could have stayed there much longer.

My personal favorite was the rocks section.

We know these, weve been in caverns. — We know these, we’ve been in caverns.

Wonderful diagrams and examples of how substances start as one thing and under heat, time and pressure morph into very different things.

Folds in the earth are explained and demonstrated.

Edie insisted that I go look at this section, she was right, I really enjoyed it. You and I are descendants of a life force that survived these 6 mass extinctions. The ancient life that is part of the magic or religious wonder of our existence has clawed and fought and reproduced and eaten and survived and is part of the spark of life that is inside me and inside you.

Out a back window I could see the Shedd Aquarium.

Great display suggesting a herd or pack life.

The fossil record is amazing, such variety.

This was the last known one, wonder when the next one will be? — This is the last known one, wonder when it will end?

I love Pogp, We have met the enemy and he is us." — I love Pogo, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Mr. Darwin was a very cleaver man. — Mr. Darwin was a very clever man.

The big one is a 4 lb gold nugget. I think worth a couple million. — The big one on top is a 4 lb gold nugget. I think worth a couple million.

Literally the stuff on which Juristic Park is based — Literally the stuff on which Jurassic Park is based

We went downstairs and had a drink in the small cafe. While sitting and relaxing for a few minutes, we got to enjoy a live orchestra that had set up in the large lobby area near Sue.

After awhile we headed off. Very pleasant walk back under the underpass and then up to Roosevelt, over to Michigan. We walked and saw Grant Park, Millennium Park and went looking for a pizza place, a real Chicago pizza place. We didn’t see anything on Michigan that looked like a real Chicago deep dish pizza place, so we went down a side street and almost immediately found a place that was so busy the wait was over twenty minutes (good sign it’s a good place). We ended up eating in the “to go” area. I got a thin crust “Oprah” style pepperoni pizza, and Michael got a deep dish pizza. We both agreed it wasn’t as good as Paddington’s Pizza in Oregon, but it was fun to have it while we were there.

Past the statue to Aaron Ward who had a vision for openness along the lake front. — Past the statue to Aaron Ward – who had a vision for openness along the lake front.

Man, those Greeks! Ionic. — Man, those Greeks!Obligatory columns with capitals Ionic.

Diamond shaped without columns, at last.

We looked in some stores and debated whether or not we wanted to go to the Art Institute of Chicago because we had seen so many buses full of children that we feared were going to the Art Institute. I told him I thought they were going to the Symphony. Anyway, when we got outside from eating our lunch, there were no buses and no kids – but the museum was pretty busy. The tickets were $17.00 each, basic admission.

We went through each area and couldn’t believe how large the museum is. It wasn’t until we exited that we realized there is a bridge type walkway that you walk through to go into another massive area with more exhibits. We saw Asian, African, Native American, Italian, jewelry, pictures, photos, sculptures, anything and everything art related.

My new appreciation for all things woven.

There are so many sections we can't even begin to show enough here. — There are so many sections we can’t even begin to show enough here.

I recoil at the sight of ISIS followers destroying ancient works in Mosul. The Christians chiseled her eyes, then knocked off her nose, then chiseled a cross into her forehead to repurpose her from a Greek goddess to a symbol of a Christian angel. — I recoil at the sight of ISIS followers destroying ancient works in Mosul. Around 330 A.D. the Christians chiseled her eyes, so she couldn’t see, then knocked off her nose, then chiseled a cross into her forehead to repurpose her from a Greek goddess to a symbol of a Christian angel.

So much of every kind. We must come back, for a week.

American Gothic, very popular. — “American Gothic”, very popular.

Chagal windows. — Chagall “America Window.”

Was pretty amazing and we could have easily stayed several days studying each area. We knew we only had today so we had to do it quickly and just couldn’t do it justice. If we had to do it over again, we would separate the Field Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago into their own day. Anyway, we did it and are feeling overwhelmed. I was excited when we got to the “American Gothic” painting, and then absolutely loved the Chagall “America Window.” On the walk back to the car we got to see many street musicians (some quite good), and a whole bunch of people holding out cups and wanting change.

Traffic back from Chicago was horrible and took over two hours to get back home. Michael is cooking dinner tonight (not sure what but we have eggs, potatoes, tomato soup, and cottage cheese left in the refrigerator). That was our day. Hope yours was great!