Friday Foto Fun - The Tall Ships Edition

Our original plan was to go to the zoo today, but when we both read that The Tall Ships were in Chicago for the weekend and the weather continued to be exclamation-point exceptional, Catherine and I set our sails for Navy Pier.  Well, not exactly sails, but you know what I mean. 

Look at that view as we entered Navy Pier, now you can understand why Chicago is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the US. 

You can't help but notice this brand spankin' new building, The Trump Tower, you know that guy, Donald with all the money and the strange hair-do.  By attaching that spire to the top has now made this building one of the tallest in Chicago.  You know "the Donald" always bigger, better, brighter.

Sorry, can't remember the name of this building, just another example of the wall-to-wall awesome buildings in downtown Chicago.  OK, enough of the buildings, lets get to the Tall Ships and Navy Pier.

Look at all the flags proclaiming it is Navy Pier....did they think we didn't know where we were??

Just imagine Errol Flynn swinging from the ropes with sword in hand....but most of you probably don't even know who Errol Flynn was but he was one of the movies' original swashbucklers....OK think of Johnny Depp as Captain Sparrow, I guess that is the today's swashbuckler.  But it is hard to compare Captain Sparrow with Errol Flynn's portrayal of Don Juan.

Ole Glory flying high.....

This image reminds me of an oxymoron,  'A figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect.... 2 different worlds, the old framed by the new. 

 

Some of the ships would take paying customers for a sail out to sea. 

There were several means of transportation besides walking....

The little one has the best view...

 Always a skater or two....

There were so many people walking along the pier I would have found it difficult to ride a bike thru the crowd without hitting someone and knocking them down, or losing my balance and knocking myself down....

And these 2 little sweet peas were helmet-ready for their transportation...

And ofcourse the rides....

When you are up at the tippy top of the ferris wheel, the views of the city are eye-poppin', steeped in steel, glass & stone gorgeous.... Have shared this image with.....

It appears as tho a few of the riders lost their shoes along the way....

My stomach is now in my head....

There were many, many, many places to eat....from hot dogs to a fine meal.  Once upon a time, many years ago, I dined at Riva's, one of the fine dining places on Navy Pier, and in walked Pierce Brosnan....it took every ounce of resistance, not to approach him to ask for an autograph.  He was with his rather new wife (I think they were married) and new little baby out for a nice lunch.  He is really tear-one's-heart-out gorgeous.  My dining partner's jaw never left the table for the rest of the afternoon.

We saw many stylin' hats as we traveled from beginning to end....

Sweet little babies.....



Pirates that had obviously sailed in with the "Tall Ships"......

A trip to Navy Pier would not be complete without a shot of the many seagulls that make this area their home...

Today was like a voyage to paradise, filled with fun, food, fashion, and most of all joy!!

"Life, we learn too late, is in the living, the tissue of every day and hour."  -  Stephen B. Leacooke

Until next time.......