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We woke up at 4 A.M. The traffic to Bradley International Airport was good so we were ontime for 7 A.M. flight to chicago. The united personel couldn’t upgrade our seats because one way for each person is requiring 15,000 frequent flyer milage to Chicago.

When we arrived at Chicago O’Hare Airport, it’s 8:10 AM. We gained one hour because it’s in different timezone. We followed the sign to take “L-Train” to the Washington/Dearborn stop for our hotel (directed by the hotel website). But the “L-Train” is actually called “Blue Line Train” now.

After we arrived at our train stop, there is no elevator or escalator for our big luggage to the ground level. This stop is not handicap accessible stop. When we go out of the building, we could feel the windy and cold weather right away. It is easier for us to go to our hotel (Hyatt Legency Hotel) by walking north on Dearborn to Wacker, but the intersection on Dearborn is under construction and we had to turn right first to Washington St. and go north on the State St. which is the main street for Chicago. Macy’s and Chicago Theater is there on State Street. (Macy’s bought Marshall Field and Company couple year ago and now Marshall Field and Company doesn’t exist anymore) Then we turn right to the Randoplh St (the theater street) to Michigan Ave. The Chicago Cultural Center and the Millennium Park was there.

Finally we arrived at Hyatt. They gave us a beautiful room on the 17th floor facing north so we could see the Chicago Tribute Building (http://www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/tribunetower.htm) (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/T/TribuneTower.html), Wrigley Building and Michigan Ave. Bridge Pylon at the beginning of the Magnificent Mile.(http://www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/magnificentmile.htm)

After take a little rest, we walked across the Michigan Bridge to the front of the Wrigley Building and took Bus 146 to the “Museum Park” which has the “Field Museum” and Shedd Aquarium. Today it is the Museum Free Day for these two places (Tuesday). We first saw “SUE”, the rex in the museum and then the baby Beluga Whale, called Bella in the Aquarium. She is 6 month old now.

• Heard about a free day (Free Admission Day) for Museums in Chicago? Click Here(877chicago) for an example. (make sure you call to make sure)
• From our hotel, Hyatt Regency Chicago to Field Museum and the aquarium, only need one bus #146 since #146 go around the whole Museum Campus (Field Museum, Soilder’s Field and the aquarium.)

We got a good deal last week from orbitz.com for Chicago even though we could go to Orlando, FL for the same price. Orlando/ Disney World didn’t sound interesting to me last week. But today, I walked out in the morning for work, it was cold and I realized that we might be too brave for Chicago next week.

Tried to call Orbitz.com and they said they could refund our hotel reservation with no charge but not the air ticket. Call ed United Airline and they have to charge $100 a ticket for change or refund. Then we decide to wear lots of layers when we go to Chicago.

Planning:

http://www.igougo.com/

http://chicago.citysearch.com/

http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/

http://www.coachusa.com/chicagotrolley/

http://www.viator.com/Chicago/d673

- Called Hyatt Regency Chicago to upgrade our room with view for first night. (Fee applied)

- Finding ways to keep us warm in the chilling Chicago.

 

United States:

• Chicago:

Chicago Trolley

(Map& Desnations: http://www.coachusa.com/CoachUsaAssets/files/102/route_map.pdf
http://www.coachusa.com/chicagotrolley/booking.asp?action=ProductDetail&productId=1063)

Chicago Transit

Citysearch Map

aviewoncities Chicago Map

• Philadelphia:

Big Bus Company (http://www.bigbustours.com/phila/html/i/BigBusBrochure2006.pdf)

Trolley Work (http://www.phillytour.com/2006_PTW_Brochure_Final.pdf)

BAUS – Buddhist Temple in Carmel, NY”

My friend said it is very nice place and very big. The following are the name of the halls. We were planning to go, but they close it this year due to the snow.

“Chuang Yen Monastery is located in a rural area of Putnam County, New York off Route 301, between Carmel and Cold Spring. The winter weather is always cold and often icy, so the roads become too treacherous to drive on. Visitors have often had accidents, although fortunately, no one has been seriously hurt. ” (http://www.baus.org/baus/bulletin.html)

• Chuang Yen Monastery Map
• Great Buddha Hall: The Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas Encircling Buddha Vairocana
• Kuan-Yin Hall
• Dining Hall
• Yin-Kuang Hall
• Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace
• Tai-Hsu Hall
• Woo-Ju Memorial Library
• Directions to Chuang Yen Monastery