Chicago. Body World. Roger Ebert Day.

We drove into Chicago this morning and had some somehow necessary Dunkin Donuts and made our way to the Museum of Science and Industry. Bryan's grandfather knows the man who took part in this amazing exhibit we saw, Body World. The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies. All bodies were donated for this specific purpose - to be displayed in various poses, or in pieces and parts - showing us the muscles, bones, ligaments, blood vessels, nervous system, organs - everything in the human body - right there in front of you, with nothing between you and these exhibits. It was incredible. I cannot deny that I felt slightly unnerved at times, realizing what I was really looking at, but it was fascinating.


body world - man holding his own skin

The rest of the museaum was aslo pretty cool, and we got free passes by chance for a tour of the German U 505 submarine, which was captured in World War II. Such cramped quarters for 50 men, 2 months - taking turns sleeping in bunks in the torpedo room, eating food cooked on three small burners in a kitchen the size of my bathtub, and bathing in alcohol! Yikes!After the museum we saw a bit of Chicago, taking in, of course, traditional Chicago style deep dish pizza (which was thinner than I expected) and then inadvertently discovering the beautiful Grant Park fountain (which is the one shown at the beginning of Married With Children) and an outdoor viewing of Citizen Cane! We got free Thumbs Up souvenirs for Roger Ebert Day and watched the long beginning of the movie before heading back in time to catch the end of the synchronized music/fountain show! Very cool. Off we headed, down 55 toward St. Louis, staying in a rest area just outside Pontiac, IL.

Quote of the Day: "Fortifications must be upheld at all costs." U 505 submarine Eniga code.

Click on this link to see more Illinois pictures:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=9gc0q893.3styvtez&Uy=-k2ef1z&Ux=0