Get-away to Chicago

It is always important for a couple to take a vacation together, no matter how long or short it may be. It's even better if you can find someone else to pay for most of the trip. :)
Farm Bureau was sponsoring an overnight trip to Chicago to tour the Chicago Board of Trade and Federal Reserve Bank. The dates worked for us, so we signed up. Two good friends of ours (Dan & Melissa) were going also, so it was sure to be a good time. We had to meet the charter bus in Coralville on Tuesday at 11. We had lunch at the hotel and then took off for Chicago, arriving at our hotel around 5. The evening was on our own. We walked several blocks to Navy Pier.
Navy Pier.


There is a lot to do at Navy Pier--shopping, eating, boat rides, ferris wheel rides, etc.

Near the top of the Ferris Wheel.

And the view from the top.

We had supper at the Riva Cafe and enjoyed Boston Haddock for supper.

We also opted for a boat ride (this is not the ride that cost $150 for two). We went for the cheaper trip of $34 for two. It was a 45 minute sunset ride.

Views from the boat.

A lighthouse by the pier.

And then we walked back the hotel via Michigan Ave (where all the ritzy shops are). Our hotel rooms were on the 20th floor. On the 22nd floor of the hotel is a Garden Terrace to sit and view the city from above (or watch the neighbors in their apartment with all glass windows and no curtains). We did this on Tuesday night.

Our hotel, Inn of Chicago Magnificent Mile, did not have continental breakfast but there was a Dunkin Donuts across the street.
We took off early for the Chicago Board of Trade. I certainly would not want our bus driver's job of navigating Chicago traffic.

CBOT

No pictures were allowed inside the building. But we were able to watch the opening of the grain and livestock markets. It's just like it is on TV. Everyone screaming at each other. We were able to go down on the trading floor and the noise was unreal. And the busyness was mind-numbing too. But we did learn a lot about what affects the farm markets.
Next, it was next door to the Federal Reserve Bank. After going through the metal detectors, we sat through a presentation and a short film. Then we could tour the exhibits.

A million dollars, all in $1 bills. They also had displays of a million dollars in $20s and $100s.

Trying to determine counterfeit or real. We didn't do the greatest.

A $10,000 bill.

We had lunch at the basement of the CBOT and then it was off to home. We arrived in Coralville at 6pm, so it was a short, but good trip. We had a chance to meet many other young farmers from across the state and learn about the bigger picture of the markets.