From high brow to low brow - Art in many forms

It's been another long day out in the sunshine. I started out earlier today, and was a little too early for the Art Institute opening, so I headed for a coffee shop for a coffee, to kill some time while the queue went down when they opened at 10.30. I decided I'd have to be selective about which exhibitions I saw because the museum was so huge. I saw the Impressionists, Monet, Van Gogh etc, an exhibition on Kimonos, the ancient art of course, Greek and Roman and Egyptian, and the pre 19th Century European. It's a big sprawling building and I was starting to need a sit down and a drink, there's only so much art you can take in in one go before the brain starts to hurt. I headed outside for a brief meander through Taste of Chicago, a festival that's going on at the moment, I didn't stay long, it was baking hot in the midday sun,but I plan on going back, so more about that another time. I walked back up Michigan Ave, I'm getting to know that street pretty well, but it's sort of the backbone to downtown, the life and soul as it were. I stopped off at one of the small malls along the Ave to kill a bit more time before heading in to a coffee shop called Corner Bakery. I'd spotted earlier they had free wifi, so I made a pitstop for a chai latte and to call home. Skype on my iPhone (-again it's amazing, local price calls to call home and tell them I'm ok and having fun.) Afterwards I wasn't quite sure what to do before dinner, but I decided I had enough time to check out Navy Pier, I wasn't too far away. Although I'd heard it was good, I really didn't know what to expect. When I got there, it's a big indoor complex with souvenir shops, restaurants, take away places. And a Garret's popcorn place that didn't have a queue a mile long, so I took advantage to try Chicago's most famous popcorn, although I only chose the caramel version, I chickened out of the traditional Chicago mix - caramel and cheese! Popcorn in hand I headed out for a meander along Navy Pier, and found some amazing views looking back across the lake to all the skyscrapers that I'd seen along Michigan Ave and at Millennium Park. (pics when I get back I promise!) The sun was still shining, baking down and I realised I'm starting to catch a suntan, I might actually look like i've had a holiday by the time I get back. It's certainly a world away from life at home, and a change is as good as a rest. Philosophy over, it was time to take care of functions, and the heat was starting to take it's toll, although I seem to have done nothing but stop at cafe's for a coffee, I realised I'd had no lunch, not much for breakfast and it was going on for 7 at night. Too long. So the first place I came to: Irish bar again. Different one this time, but I learned my lesson from last night, and only ordered a starter, and a nice long refreshing cocktail, and they kept topping up my glass of water, which I felt was much needed after my day in the sunshine. An hour or so later, refreshed, rehydrated I'm starting to feel like it's almost time to head back and plan tomorrow's adventure.

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