in the Windy City

With temperatures in the 50’s, you couldn’t ask for better weather at the end of October in the city by the lake. With the weather being so nice and us staying only a mile away from the Field Museum, we decided to walk.

We chose to wander the trails through the park along Michigan Avenue. The walk was a beautiful experience. The grass was still a fresh green, and the leaves on the trees were either green, yellow, orange, or red. I might have even had a moment of regret for all the bad things I have said about fall.

Field Museum

The second day of our Chicago family travel begins with everyone’s first visit to the Field Museum. Among the exhibits we explored, the museum is truly remarkable. We spent the most time on the Ancient Americas presentation. In this area, they showcase artifacts and pottery from North America as well as those from Mesoamerica. I have visited many of the sights they credit with the origin of the artifacts. I greatly enjoy the history of the Indigenous peoples of North America and acquiring many artifacts.

Another display that we enjoyed considerably was the Northwest Coast and Arctic Peoples exhibit. They had no fewer than a dozen totem poles. Seeing the totem reminds us of our trip to Alaska and our desire for a return cruise.

As a child, I had a fascination with dinosaurs. I am eager to see if Benson will have a similar interest in the creatures. He is still young, and the exhibits were neither interactive nor intended for an audience his age.

Tsavo Lions

If you are not familiar with the story of the Tsavo Lions, it is a fitting nightmare story. In fact, it’s so fitting that Hollywood created a movie about it, The Ghost and the Darkness.

In March 1898, the British began construction of a railway over the Tsavo River in Kenya. Two male lions began hunting the workers. In the darkness, the two lions would sneak into camp and rip a worker from his tent as his screams cried out into the night. The lions would take their prey to the edge of the camp and devour their meal. This horror continued for months.

According to some reports, the Tsavo lions insatiable appetite for human flesh included at least 28 individuals during a 10-month period of terror. Other accounts claim as many as 135 people lost their lives. However, we will never know the exact number of people who fell prey to the Tsavo man-eaters.

Following John Henry Patterson’s killing of the lions, they were later sold to the Field Museum. Today, if you are brave enough, you can look these man-eaters in the face and be thankful you were not a meal.

Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium is a short distance away. It’s the second location of our Chicago family travel for the day. The exhibits were far more interactive and engaging for children of various ages. As a parent with a child learning to interact with things, we had less concern about his destructive force at the planetarium. Benson touched them and tried to interact with them, but they were still too advanced. There might have been a display or two that he was supposed to touch and instead slapped.

Benson did fall asleep before we went in to see the “Destination Solar System.” In fact, all three of us fell asleep. Despite efforts not to, I ultimately did. The target audience is much younger than I am, and I lost interest very quickly.

Chicago Protest

While returning to our hotel, a helicopter was hovering in one location. I shared my concerns with Dawn about the proximity of the helicopter’s location to that of our hotel. As we got closer, we saw the protests taking place outside of our hotel. People were standing on top of a bus stop shelter and on top of statues. They were in the streets chanting and, in many instances, holding signs that were either hateful or antisemitic. Thankfully, we were able to make it into the hotel without incident.

Dinner with Family

Family came downtown to see us and took us out to eat at a fantastic retro-themed dinner. Ed Debevic’s has been serving and entertaining patrons since 1984. The servers all have a sharp wit and personality and are dressed in costumes. One particular server had great fun belittling people if they ordered breakfast for dinner. Those who dared to order breakfast were denigrated as an example of what’s wrong with the world.

Several times, the staff would get their groove on to music and entertain dinners. If you plan on visiting this establishment, understand that the burgers, fries, and shakes include a side of snarky remarks. You will have a fun-filled time and a good meal if you go.

Missed day one? Read about our first day of Chicago family travel. And don’t forget to read about our third day of our family-friendly Chicago vacation.