After leaving Navy Pier, we took the bus to Shedd Acquarium and Science and Industry Museum at the southern end of Grant Park… wow. I forgot just how much I missed this place.

After these visits – including a fantastic 4-D movie in Shedd, we traveled along the lake watching folks set up for the fireworks that evening. Incredile.

We wandered through Grant Park (tons of walking!!!), and then headed to eat at a KFC. We ventured back out to Grant Park and talk about tons of humanity – most of which I did not care to roam into… it was PACKED. The estimate was 1.8 million people to watch the fireworks… 150,000 in downtown Dayton is too many for me, so you can imagine that the wall to wall flesh was disgusting.

While wandering through the park (yes, I could have used the word “strolling” just to amuse you), we came across the USArmy site… Jose was in heaven. The sign-in was quite lengthy, but we had time. They really know how to schmooze! What great recruits…

“Sir, would you like to sign up for information?”

“No, I am 43 years old.”

“Get out of here… you don’t look like you are past your early thirties….”

And it was then my concerns grew…. if young privates are lying to me, can you imagine what it must be like at the Pentagon???

We then ventured on the Army Jazz band performing during Taste of Chicago.

We settled in a nice area on the northeast corner of Grant Park, across from Millenium Park. I decided this would be the best place to watch, and to run when it was over. I figured I would rather have 1.8 million people following me rather than me trailing behind them. The Chicago Symphony was right next to us… delightful evening.