The second full day of our trip started with another breakfast at the Egg Harbor Cafe. And again, RQS and I got up at the awful hour of 7:00 am to be ready in time to eat. But to see our friends, it was worth it. They went out of their way to see them. So we knew it was right to do the same.
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Once done with breakfast, it was time to go to the Willis Tower and go to the Skydeck. The above picture was taken from there, and on my previous visit, I saw a plane flying BELOW the level on which I was standing. But I digress....
All 4 of us knew what we had to do to reach the Skydeck This time, we got there early, and we got there on a day where we were able to see something other than rain in front of us. After a little time killing, we went up to the observation deck. On this visit, I was underwhelmed. When it came time for us to stand on the Ledge (a 1.5" thick plexiglass platform jutting out from the building), it was mobbed. 10 years ago, people weren't making an effort to stand on the Ledge. Now, people pose there for some interesting photos which then can take home and forget about. Yes, I bought some of those pictures, and have sent digital copies to RQS, STX, and JTX as souvenirs of our trip.
After the Skydeck, it was off to the Magnificent Mile, and the Billy Goat Tavern. The original Billy Goat is classic Chicago, and the model for Saturday Night Live's Olympia Diner skit. Even now, you'll hear the chant of "Cheeborger, Cheeborger, Cheeborger" several times during a typical visit. And from there, we explored the Mile, and then took the bus to the river where we explored a control house for one of the Chicago River's Bascule bridges.
Walking was beginning to take a toll on us, and we decided to go for some Deep Dish pizza to finish off our time together with a filling meal. Yum! Over dinner, we talked of many things, and we all hoped we could get together again next year. San Francisco came up, and it is high on our list of options. Given a choice, I'd vote for the City by the Bay. Maybe next year at this time? We'll see....
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