Hubby and I were in Chicago for a conference the third week of October. We stayed downtown at the Marriott on the Magnificent Mile in a room with quite a view.
Awaking before 5 on our first morning, we watched between the skyscrapers as the sun rose over Lake Michigan.
I usually find things to do by myself while Hubby attends meetings, but I was excited to hear that another member of our conference team had some time and desire to do the Chicago Architecture River Cruise with me.
We booked our tickets through Trip Advisor for an early morning tour. The weather forecast included a risk of rain and strong winds, but we were able to get through the tour before the boats had to shut the business down for a few days.
Our tour guide was a philosopher, actor, literary major, history buff, and singer. It was obvious to all that he was also a lover of people. The tour was anything but boring, and I highly recommend it!
Throughout the day, my compadre steadily returned calls and put out fires as needed and asked if I would be up for walking the Magnificent Mile. I needed the steps and the fun, so off we went.
Neither of us are fans of high-end shopping, but when I spotted a Starbucks Reserve, we crossed that busy street and got a couple of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and lots of pictures. If Chef Justin Ward had not mentioned the existence of Starbucks Reserves (only six of ’em) in his previous newsletter, I may not have made that detour!
After carefully selecting a souvenir mug, we finished the mile, coming and going. My step count at the end of the day was 21,855.
What a blessing to be able to spend the cold, blustery day with a friend and do what I love to do: explore new places on foot! I hope that I never take either for granted.
