On Saturday, August 31st,  after the storm, we woke up to a rainbow as we went to shower. However, the rains came again and we were stuck until around one in the afternoon. Karen and Bill got in and we met them at Shedd's Aquarium. We chatted as they waited in line to go in. We said our good byes until tomorrow. We set off for the looper dinner around five o'clock. Woody and Ellen, our dinner hosts have a high rise apartment with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan. There were about 20 loopers in attendance. Some were gold loopers having finished the loop, others were novices like us, one couple will start soon. It was nice to see Deb and Jim from Sea Fever and Charlie and Al from Always 5 O'Clock. Dinner had a Chicago theme with deep dish pizza, beef sandwiches, and cheesecake. The comraderie and coversation was very enjoyable.  After we walked to the Blackstone Hotel to meet Karen and  Bill for drinks.
On Sunday early afternoon we took a taxi to the Blackstone. There Tony got out and Karen hopped in. Tony and Bill were going to lunch at a Irish Pub followed by a walk through Grant Park. Karen and I headed to High Tea at the Drake Hotel.  Karen treated me to the tea, something I have wanted to do for years. The setting was perfect with beautiful flowers, English China, and a harpist.  Along with many tea choices, we had scones, tea sandwiches, and pastries. It was a wonderful time for both of us.  Karen and I walked the Magnificent Mile to the dock on the Chicigo River, where we met Tony and Bill and departed for our Chicago Architectural Boat Tour. Our docent informed us about origins of the skyscapers and how the architecture changed throughout the years reflecting the styles of the different periods. He also talked about the history and geography of the Chicago area and the river. We ended the evening at the Billy Goat Tavern, a dive under the Wrigley Building full of Chicago history, burgers and chips.
Monday was our last day in Chicago. We went to the Field Museum of Natural History and saw Sue, the T-Rex, the animal exhibit, and the Evolving Planet, a journey of four billion years from single celled organisms to the dinosaurs, to humans. We then walked to Michigan Avenue; stopped at Starbucks and Garretts for popcorn. We met Bill and Karen at Millenium Park, where we saw fountains, gardens, and "The Cloud" ("The Bean"), which is a highly polished sculpture that reflects the Chicago skyline. The day was finished at Italian Village and a celebration of Bill's upcoming birthday. We said farewell to Bill and Karen and we will say farewell to Chicago as we head to the second leg of our adventure, the rivers.