Five people cramming into a truck full of luggage and snacks, who doesn't love a good family road trip to Illinois?
As my two brothers fought during the 18 hour car ride, I was at peace having the whole back row of my dads Suburban to myself. I was able to stretch and sleep as I pleased, for me, the trip was very enjoyable. We arrived at St. Charles and greeted my aunt, uncle and their 8 year old daughter. They were ecstatic to see us after 5 long years of being apart. The eight of us squeezed into their tiny house and we rested for the big day ahead of us.
We were greeted by fresh winds and a bright sun above us, this 4th of July looked extremely promising. Just behind my aunts house was the Fox River, we decided to take a small cruise on the river boat. The salty water lightly misted before us as we toured the edges of the river. Here came the down pour, buckets of water began to fall from the sky, as people rushed for cover, my family remained on the top floor of the boat and welcomed the unexpected rain with open arms. After spending the day relaxing at the park, we set a few blankets and chairs near the edge of the river and prepared for the annual 4th of July firework show. The delightful bright colored sparks of flames that light up the sky instantly placed a smile on the faces of many.
Everyone woke up bright and early to start our day of touring. We hoped on a train and rode for an hour until we arrived at Chicago city. Our first destination was Millennium Park, the main attraction of this park was the giant bean shaped mirror. Crowds of people would gather around it and take pictures on its finger stained surface. We headed to Lake Michigan and ate Chicago style hot dogs as we watched the ducks swim in the lake and viewed people riding around on bicycles going about their daily routine. Navy Pier was my favorite part of this whole trip. after walking through the gates you are instantly overwhelmed by the amount of vendors and activities available. My brother and I ran for the huge Ferris Wheel, as it slowly revolved I took endless photographs of Michigan Lake and the gorgeous buildings ahead of us. After the long day of walking through the big Chicago city, we took a taxi back to the train and made in home well past midnight.
To end our week at Illinois we visited the cozy town of Geneva. It was filled with boutiques and other small shops that maintained the architecture of the 1950's. Cantigny Gardens was also one of our final stops, rows and rows of breathtaking flowers and delicious aromas filled the air. It was the most relaxing way to end a fun filled vacation.
Being able to spend this time with family was priceless, but spending it with those who we do not see regularly is even more special. It seemed that the trip back home lasted less than 18 hours, this was probably due to the fact that time seems to be drawn out as we anticipate the exciting adventures before us.
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