Back to Michigan for Thanksgiving but off to Chicago (Part 2).

Chicago here we come! So after some turkey and good time with family, my daughter and I ventured on to Chicago to see the big city. There was so much traffic driving in to the city on a Saturday so I decided we go sightseeing on Sunday morning. I had heard of the Big Bean over at Millennium Park for ages and just had to get a glimpse of that magic sculpture. 

While driving down we got to see Grant Park and passed by so many huge towers. Everything just looked so grand, seemed like the mini Big Apple (NY).  

We drove down to Michigan avenue to take a look at the city. It was so quiet that morning in contrast to the day before. We parked over by the Art Institute of Chicago and then there it was, the magic bean surrounded by other interesting sculptures that scared the life out of me. It was a display of these huge 3D sculptures of human heads in the park. It was very freaky but unbelievably real. 

Everyone had said this town was really windy but surprisingly that day the weather was just right.

There was this great display of faces on a screen that apparently spit water at you now and then. There was fun activity for the family right outside the park like the skating ring right by a Park & Grill restaurant, lots of people joined in or just stood by enjoying the scenery.

We literally spent less than an hour exploring this great park and then we were off on the road again back to Maryland. That drive down was 12, did I say 12, 12 hours. It was unbelievably long but it was one of my best trips ever. Got to relax, got to spend time with family and of course I got to keep great memories I will never forget. 

Back to Michigan for Thanksgiving but off to Chicago (Part 1)

My first official Thanksgiving in the States. I really didn't have anything planned for Thanksgiving then I got offered to join in on a trip to Michigan. Sounded perfect to me! I hardly ever turn down a trip as you know. I had a few days to plan with my little munchkin, aka my travel buddy and then there it was, the Wednesday before thanksgiving. We head out on the road pretty early, made a few stops, had some lunch in Ohio and then arrived Michigan at about 8pm.

When we got there, we camped at the Embassy Suites right by the Detroit Metro Airport. Was a lovely treat. That evening they served free drinks to guests near the lobby and then it was off to bed for me and my gang.

The next morning I drove down to Detroit to join in on the festivities. I literally missed the Thanksgiving parade the week before in downtown Silver Spring, MD. I had to make up for it in Detroit. I wouldn't miss it for the world. On our way there we passed by the Worlds largest tyre. We got to see other cool tourist spots along the way like the Michigan Science Center.

When we got there we found a parking spot just by the Hellenic Museum right opposite the parade. 

There were huge floats with different themes. They had firemen all dressed up in clown outfits, there was music and dancing all along the road and they saved the best for last with Santa's arrival on his Sleigh.

After all that, we went off to get some Turkey. Yayy!!! To be continued...

New York, New York - That Concrete Jungle

I've always wanted to go to the Big Apple, or as we say now, the Concrete Jungle. I love big cities, lights, tons of people and New York was definitely all of that put together. Family of mine were planning on driving down for the weekend from Maryland. I literally made up my mind the night before and of course took my little Princess with me.

We drove down for about four hours and as soon as we got there, we hit the crazy traffic over in Brooklyn. So this was New York, yay! Ok, all my life I wanted to visit this city, please excuse my excitement. As we got there, we joined in at a friends party, had some great food, drinks and then we went over to Time Square to get a glimpse of the night lights. The energy in New York was just so vibrant.

When we all got tired, we went over for the biggest sleep over at a friends place in Manhattan. I could see all the lights and fun from my window and I was excited for the next morning.

I got up the next day and knowing I had just a few hours in NY, I decided to take myself and my daughter on a tour of the city. I jumped in the famous yellow taxi, I can't whistle so had to stick that hand out like we non-whistlers do. We went straight to Time Square to jump on a tour bus heading to Downtown NY. It was AMAZING, everything i'd been looking forward to.

We didn't miss out on those famous hot dogs, had to stop over for a bite. 

We sat in front of the tour bus, on the top seater of the double decker bus, greatest view ever.

So I literally had just a few hours, didn't get to finish our tour because we were heading back that same day to Maryland. Got back in a Taxi to Manhattan and we were off to Maryland. I knew I had to be back soon, so you know what, I went back for another weekend. I had this crazy research paper due that weekend but nothing was coming in between me and this ride down to NY. My sister opted to drive while I typed up my assignment in the car. We got to New York and stayed over at a Holiday Inn in Manhattan. It was a few blocks away from Time square so of course what did I do?

 I continued my tour. Back on the tour bus it was for me and my crew. Still excited as ever, this time we did the tour of Uptown NY.

It was a long day, after my little one slept off, I went down to the bar by the lobby of the hotel and had some drinks with good friends of mine. We ladies enjoyed our evening, I was leaving early the next morning back to Maryland so this was a perfect end to my trip.