The Concept!

The plan is to drive around America in an RV visiting as many cool exciting places and experiencing as much of the culture as possible in 6 weeks.
It would be nice to do it without getting lost!...Glenn
It would also be great if we could do it without a backseat driver!...Kate
... and if we could do it without killing each other or our children it would be even better.

Follow our blog to see how we go!!

Monday 16 April 2012

Chicago and the Great Lakes

So we have had a busy few days. We had a lovely time with our friends Bill, Jen, Henry, Madeline and Marianne at their gorgeous lake house in Michigan. It was blissful and we really didn't want to leave but time is getting away and we are a long way from LA! We had such a nice time we forgot to take pics of their gorgeous cottage on the lake with their own jetty, it was like something out of a movie.

On the way to the lake house we stopped at Lake Eerie and checked out the national park and science centre. It was so cool, the kids loved it and didn't even realise they were learning. The Americans do a great job of preserving and promoting their natural wonders and it's been really easy, even in the RV, to get the most out of them. Lake Eerie is truly remarkable, it is so big you can't see the other side, the kids took some convincing it wasn't actually the ocean, we had to show them on the map that it is completely land locked!


 


Next was a trip through the Amish region, we went to one town I can't spell or pronounce that is 90% Amish, it was very cute and quaint but DAMN did it stink of horse poop!




 We then wandered along back roads to a winery Bill and Jen recommended and tasted some wines, they even had non-alcoholic wines for the boys to taste! They are both red drinkers if you are wondering...didn't get that from their mother!





Next we hit Chicago, the windy city and OMG I fell in love. It is possibly the most beautiful city I have ever been to, and that is a big call given how many countries and cities I've travelled to all over the globe. We had a great list from Bill and Jen and we stuck to it and got the non-tourist experience. We drove down endless tree lined streets of beautiful homes. The architecture in the city is incredible, we would have loved to find a book about it, it really was amazing.



We cruised the shops down town....yes, Glenn drove the RV in and yes he reverse parked it down town! He is Batman.









So I had to take a pic of this. They have an Ugg Boot boutique next door to Prada, Gucci, Tiffany etc. I was blown away. The Americans not only pay upwards of $200 a pair but they wear them like fashion shoes. We have seen people in them everywhere....downtown Manhattan to Anytown rural USA. Bizarre. What would the Bogans think?


Then we went for drinks on the 94th floor of this building.....


 Needless to say the view was amazing, pity the weather was overcast. It would be spectacular at night in a cute frock and heels, sans kids and plus champagne!

Then we went to a Chicago institution for the signature Chicago dish - deep dish pizza. Due's is the coolest, we loved it.



We consider ourselves experts on pizza so were waiting expectantly for the famous Due's (pronounced Dooo-EH's - like the word for two in Italian) deep dish pizza. They aren't lying about deep, they make them in cake dishes about 2 inches deep....


Will, our most enthusiastic expert, takes a bite....


And I think his face says it all....


 Then we ordered the pizza dessert....and this is what John looked like when it arrived....

 It has a giant chocolate chip cookie for a base, warmed in the pizza oven and topped with icecream and topping. YUM...

 We reluctantly hit the road for California, starting the long trek across the 'square states' - Iowa was INSANELY windy, the RV got thrown around like a kite, Glenn's arms must be sore from keeping it on the road, it was quite scary. We saw one truck get blown so hard it went into the next lane and nearly took out a car. They don't call it Tornado Alley for nothing I guess.

It is very pretty though, lots of green fields and red barns.
Tomorrow we keep driving, we hope to hit Denver and stop for a break to check things out there.

Love to you all!

x

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