A Day On The River

Or should that read ‘on and by the river?’  I’m not quite sure what constitutes being ‘on the river.’  Anyway, be that as it may and not withstanding, we spent the day in St. Charles, mostly on and by the river, the river being the Fox River as you can probably tell by the statue of the foxes overlooking the river from Main Street bridge.

There are some noteworthy and historic buildings on the banks of the river near Main Street. The St. Charles Municipal Building was designed in 1940 by architect R. Harold Zook, who is also known for designing the art deco-style Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge. On the opposite side of the river is Hotel Baker which was built in 1928 on the site of the old Haines Mill and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Along the river walk we came across some interesting sculptures, the first being ‘Reflections’ by Guy J. Bellaver.  Bellaver also created ‘Ekwabet’ which means ‘watching over.’ The statue was dedicated by the city and named by members of four bands of Potawatomi at a ceremony in 1988.  The statue replaced an earlier tribute to the Potawatomi, erected in 1915, that was destroyed by vandalism in the 1960’s. There was also a fascinating piece made, appropriately in the shape of a fox, entirely from recycled (no pun intended) bicycle parts by Francis J. Gagnepain IV.

Walking under the bridge, just south of Pottawatomie Park, we came in sight of the James and Joann Collins Pavilion and Tower. Always up for a challenge, my daughter and I climbed to the top where we got a slightly limited view of the river.

We left the river for a few hours to visit a giant Flea Market held at the Kane County Fair Grounds but returned later for a ride on one of the paddle boats.  We took a leisurely cruise past the golf course and a couple of nature preserves towards Elgin. Any boat ride on the Fox River in this area is somewhat restricted as there is a dam both in St. Charles and Elgin.

You don’t see one of these on the river every day! I must admit we were all rather alarmed when we first noticed this car driving down the ramp and straight into the water but quickly realized it was one of those fancy amphibious vehicles. It went past us several times, drawing a rousing cheer from everyone on the boat, sometimes at a sedate Sunday-drive pace and sometimes with all the power and panache of a speedboat.

As we pulled back in at the boat dock, we got another view of the gingerbread tower and pavilion at Pottawatomie Park. And as we walked back to our car, I got a nice parting shot of a cormorant perching on a light pole high above Main Street Bridge.  All in all, a lovely day on and by the river.

 

A Watery Day

Despite discouraging weather predictions, I decided to head downtown on Saturday to see the Chicago Air & Water Show. As usual, I took the Metra train to Ogilvie Transportation Center and strolled down Wacker to the Riverwalk. Looking back at the River Point building I should have been warned by the cloud reflections that things were going to get rather wet but, ever the optimist, I continued on.  I’d brought a light raincoat with me and now I was there I was determined to make the most of the day.

I walked east, past the floating gardens that are designed to attract butterflies and was pleased to see that, despite the gloomy skies, they seemed to be serving their purpose.

There was a good deal of traffic on the river including a flotilla of kayakers, water taxis, and sightseeing boats as well as all the private craft that were bobbing up and down and skimming along the waterway.

By the time I got to the Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain and Water Arc, it had started raining so I took shelter under the fountain which gave me an interesting perspective of the waterfall and, as luck would have it, I was there in time to see the water shoot across the river, causing a tour boat to wait prudently until it had subsided.

I retraced my steps back to Michigan Avenue and walked down towards Oak Street Beach but by the time I got to Water Tower Place the rain had increased and I was feeling rather peckish so I decided to duck in there and get something to eat.  I was met by the sight of hundreds of screaming teenagers (and some considerably older) flocking in to see someone called Jeffree Star.  I had no idea who he was so I whipped out the phone and Googled the name.  Apparently he is a You Tube personality and has made a fortune out of promoting his life-style on the internet.  He was visiting Chicago to open one of his cosmetic stores and the fans were going crazy! Seven floors of yelling devotees chanting “Jeffree! Jeffree!” I’m always looking for a good photo opportunity so I abandoned the idea of getting lunch and went up to the third floor where most of the action was taking place. Unfortunately, by the time I figured out what was going on, the crowd was already about 5 deep all around the balconies, there was no way I could squeeze in and security was extremely tight regarding where you could stand. When Jeffree finally put in an appearance and the screaming reached a crescendo, I could only glimpse the top of his head. He stepped out and waved to the crowd, cut the ribbon and disappeared inside the store. It was all over in a matter of minutes.  That’s one of the reasons I love coming to the city! You never know what you’re going to see!

It was still raining when I left Water Tower Place so I went a few doors down to The Cheesecake Factory for some pizza. By the time I emerged into the daylight again, the rain had eased off so I continued on until I reached Oak Street Beach just in time to see a trail of colored smoke left behind by a team of jet planes.  It was already late afternoon and there was nowhere dry to sit so I took up a position on the path and waited to see what, if anything, would fly by.  Eventually three stunt planes came into sight, diving and soaring and doing loops.  But somehow the clouds seemed to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm and when the rain started up again I joined a stream of people heading back to Michigan Avenue.

My last shot was of the Old Water Tower with the John Hancock Center beside it.  Despite the miserable weather it was an interesting, if watery, day.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Our Choice

This week is a special one for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, celebrating its one-year anniversary, and we have been invited to choose our own subject. I’d like to do something completely different on this occasion and feature some pictures that my 10-year-old granddaughter took the other day at Navy Pier in downtown Chicago. She was using my SLR camera and did a fantastic job. The only contribution I made was to do a little cropping but the content and quality of the pictures are unaltered. I’m so happy that she is taking an active interest in photography and will do everything I can to encourage it.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Getting Around

This week, Cee is looking for ways to get around for her Fun Foto Challenge so here are a few things that people drive (ride, pilot or captain.)

Two images captured downtown on the Chicago River. With all the traffic on the roads, sometimes the quickest way to get around is on the river.

A horse of a different color; one on the carousel at Como Park Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota and the other at Arlington Park Race Track in Illinois.

And two cars on display at the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois.  For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to Things People Drive (ride, pilot or captain)

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge – Working on the Water

I thought I’d stick with the water theme for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge, People at Work , this week, having recently submitted a post for Nancy Merrill’s Photo Challenge Water

Working on the barges at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers in Cairo, Illinois.

Working the tour boats on the San Antonio River in downtown San Antonio, Texas.

Working to keep us safe on Lake Michigan at the Air & Water Show in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

Working to keep the lakes and gardens beautiful at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Air & Water Action

 

Up until recently I’ve usually made my trips to downtown Chicago on a weekday but the lure of the Metra weekend train pass got the better of me and this time I planned to venture down on a Saturday and Sunday.  The fact that the Air & Water show was on, posed something of a challenge. Normally I would avoid big events such as this like the plague but since I’d never seen the A&W show and feeling rather adventurous I decided to take action and go ahead with the plan, and was I glad that I did!

I wasn’t, however, willing to walk all the way from Ogilvie Station to North Avenue Beach, the site of most of the day’s action, but I figured Oak Street Beach would still afford a pretty good view of things and I was right. I perched on a wall by the beach and stayed there (the place was so crowded I didn’t dare give up my spot.)

Although most of the action was in the air, the water provided one or two interesting shots as conditions on Lake Michigan were fairly choppy.

To be honest, I couldn’t actually see what I was photographing most of the time.  I’d never taken shots of anything like this before and wasn’t prepared for how quick the action was, as the planes went zooming overhead.

So I just set the camera on automatic action and kept my finger on the button, hoping for the best. Not that I’m offering it as any kind of excuse for the poor quality of the images but, as you can see, the visibility wasn’t exactly at its best, although, thankfully, they did allow the smoke to clear somewhat every once in a while.

 

When I went back on Sunday I decided to skip going to the beach and walked down to Navy Pier via the River Walk, then south along by DuSable Harbor. Even then, I still got a good view of the aerial acrobatics although the water was a lot calmer by the harbor.

Thanks to Patti for setting the topic for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  For more on this challenge go to #9: Action

 

A Day in Downtown Chicago

“We’re not going shopping!”  I made this clear at the outset when granddaughter and I went for a day trip into downtown Chicago during her visit this summer. “This all about sightseeing, ” I told her.

Remember these words, dear reader.  How futile are the best laid plans of a gullible grandparent when set against the machinations of a canny and resourceful nine-year-old.

Things started out well.  We took the train to Ogilvie Station and stopped by the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza. She slid down the shoulder of the iconic Chicago artwork a couple of times, as countless children have done before her, and then ran off to chase the pigeons. It’s funny how, at that age, girls want to act like an adult but very often behave like a five-year-old.  I, on the other hand, quite frequently act like a spring chicken until my bones and bunions let me down and I feel more than twice my age!

I thought she might enjoy seeing the inside of the State of Illinois Center, or the James R Thompson Center as it’s now known, with all its lines and angles, so we crossed the street to take a look. I saw her eye the shiny glass capsules as they ascended to dizzying heights and by tacit agreement we made our way towards the nearest elevator door.

Disappointed that we were only allowed access to the 2nd floor she soon lost interest and we walked down towards Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park. It promised to be another scorching hot day so we sat for a while by the fountain at the Millennium Monument, listening to a jazz band playing beneath a nearby tent, while granddaughter dabbled her fingers in the water. Was this where the germ of a brilliant plan took shape? Quite possibly.

I was quite happy to remain there enjoying the music but granddaughter was ready to move on so we continued through the park, people-watching and gazing up at the Chicago skyline.

Young girls of a certain age who have achieved ‘princess’ status are, maybe not surprisingly, difficult to impress but sight of Cloud Gate, or The Bean as it’s more commonly called, drew a gratifying “Wow!” from the kid.

If you like this, I thought, wait till you see the Crown Fountains! As we made our way down to the lower level of the park we could hear the excited shrieks of small children and I could tell it had piqued the interested of a now rather warm and weary sightseer. “If you want to take your shoes and socks off, you can go for a paddle,” I told her. She quickly divested herself of the aforementioned footwear and, finding a seat where I could keep a close eye on the proceedings, I watched as granddaughter joined in the fun.

Bearing in mind that the only things I had in my backpack were a couple of bottles of water, a bag of Doritos and some spare camera equipment, it was inevitable that the following happened.  Can you see where I’m going with this? The kid edged closer and closer to the smiling face on the fountain and, when the water suddenly gushed out from the pouting lips, she dived in.

My first reaction was to laugh but then the thought occurred to me ……. Wait! What! No! I had planned to go for lunch somewhere! You can’t exactly present the maître d’ with a sopping-wet child and ask for a table for two. I thought about calling her back but by this time she was as saturated as she could possibly be so I let her stay to enjoy a couple more cycles of the fountain. Eventually she returned with a sheepish grin.  “Sorry, Grandma! I couldn’t help myself!”

There was nothing for it but to go in search of a clothes store.  We headed back to State Street (there was no way I was paying Michigan Avenue prices for a dry outfit) and found a convenient Target shop.  Everything from top to bloomers had to be replaced and eventually, after much deliberation and several trips to the changing room, we made our purchase and emerged back onto the street. Lunch at one of my favorite downtown restaurants followed and we were ready to continue exploring.

Back through Millennium Park we went, past the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and over the winding BP pedestrian bridge that crosses Columbus Drive and leads to Maggie Daley Park.

For someone who loves climbing, sliding and having lots of fun as much as our granddaughter, this is a kid’s paradise! We had reached the ultimate goal!

We rounded the day out with ice cream. I had my doubts when the kid asked for a double scoop on a cone, especially in that heat, and my fears were realized when, after only a few licks, the ice cream toppled to the ground. I’m not sure if I heard right but I chose to ignore the word that issued from those young lips. I couldn’t really blame her.  Time to go home!

On our return to the station we stopped on the bridge over the Chicago River and waved to the tourists, some of whom waved back. Everyone was happy. I’d got to share one of my favorite places to visit and the ‘princess’ had gone shopping.

As the train pulled out of the station I could see granddaughter gazing intently at the window, not at the rapidly receding skyscrapers but, I suspect, at her own image in that new outfit. All was well.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge – Waiting

Cheri Lucas Rowlands has given us Waiting as the subject for the Weekly Photo Challenge and it wasn’t too difficult to come up with a few images that I thought might give the impression of waiting for something or someone.

Island Queen, waiting to carry passengers from Bayfield in Wisconsin to the town of LaPointe on Madeline Island.

The train now waiting at platform 1 is on display at the National Railway Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

A horse-drawn wagon, waiting to take visitors back to the entrance of Wade House Historic Site in Greenbush, Wisconsin.

Waiting for the sun to rise in Nebraska.  This image was captured from a fast-moving car as we traveled back home from Utah.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post go to Waiting

A Photo A Week Challenge – Boats & Ships

The current subject for Nancy Merrill’s A Photo A Week Challenge is Boats and Ships.  My earliest recollection of boats comes from when I was a small child and we went on a sightseeing trip down the river Thames in London.  Since then my water-going experiences have been limited to a ferry-crossing to Mackinac Island, the occasional trip down the Chicago river, a couple of outings with the Des Plaines Yacht Club on Lake Opeka, and one or two other sightseeing excursions on rivers and lakes.  I’ve never been on an ocean liner or cruise ship so I don’t know whether sea sickness would be a problem and since I’m never likely to find out, it will forever remain a question unanswered.

A ship and a boat at The Tall Ships Festival at Navy Pier in Chicago.

A boat docked in Sturgeon Bay, Door County in Wisconsin.

A sightseeing boat passing through the lock at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.

A ferry boat crossing over to Mackinac Island.

Competitors with the Des Plaines Yacht Club in a race on Lake Opeka.

Sightseeing boats making their way up the Chicago River.

For more on Nancy’s A Photo A Week Challenge go to A Photo a Week Challenge: Boats and Ships

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things with Engines or Motors

You can’t mistake these engines when they come roaring overhead. A cargo plane comes in for a landing at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

One of the many vintage car engines at Bluesmobile Cruise Night in Mount Prospect.

A old locomotive on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

A cruise on the boat Chicago’s Fair Lady, a great way to see the sights along the river in downtown Chicago.

For more on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge go to http://ceenphotography.com/2015/08/13/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-things-with-engines-or-motors/