Chicago with the Hoovers

The Hoovers came to visit whilst we were getting settled and Brandon did allow me to make use of his massive guns to haul some big stuff into the house.

We hung out for a few days here in Elmhurst and the Hoover and Duell girls had a wonderful time back together. We then made our way downtown for a day in Chicago and the weather, which has been nasty, obliged and it was a lovely day for some site seeing.

We took the train down, headed off to one of the girls favorite hotdog haunts for lunch and then to Michigan Ave via the water taxi for a stroll down the Magnificent Mile. All the ladies wanted to do a bit of window shopping and then do the American Girl Doll store so Brandon and I leisurely made our way down the corridor so Brandon could do some photography and avoid window shopping.

At the Elmhurst train station. Brandon and the ladies.

Notice the two tech geeks clutching their mobile devices - kind of like a 2 year old with a blanky. 

Selfie with a bunch of pros at selfies.

Downtown Chicago just outside of Olgolvie (I have no idea how to spell this word) station, across the Chicago River from the opera building.

From the water taxi - great way to get from the train statin to various parts of downtown. 

Girls on the prow - I think Emmerson might have been trying to pull off the Titanic scene.

The river was super busy this day as I think it was the first Saturday of the summer that had decent weather. I have never seen it this busy.

The crew ... 

Brandon doing what he does, finding something cool out of whatever ... 

My attempt at being a photag - the Tribune building on Michigan Ave.

With the wide scope narrow gage 3mm landscape lens - one of three.

View down the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Ave.

And another of the same with one of the free trolleys that take you around Chicago - or maybe not - actually not sure if that is what this is at all - I think, firing up my memory cells, this was a wedding party trolley.

And here we go - cool stuff that lots of people don't think is cool. Brandon and I were on the same wavelength with this place. Just across from the Water Tower and the Water Tower Mall complex is the pumping station which pumps water all over Chicago. I very much enjoy things like this - how we get the stuff we need that we never really think about. 

Three massive pumping systems - this one is Old Depaul.

And the cool iconic condo buildings, with a marina on the river.