Sun's out !!!

Sun!!! We got up early this morning to get good pictures with blue skies. We packed first and had a quick breakfast before we went out for a photo tour in the Loop. Back to the hotel at 11 am to warm up (it was still cold at approx. 40 deg F) and to check out. Moved to the official IPW (U.S. Travel Association’s International Tourism Powwow) german delegation's hotel, the Conrad, just around the corner. Of course, we walked, each of us with two pieces of luggage plus bagpacks and - what a surprise! - got our room at 11 am already. Good hotel!!! Bathrooms are best we’ve had for a long time: comfortable bathtub, shower and separate toilette. The room is perfect as well, though a bit smaller than the one we had at Hotel Kinzie and it doesn’t have a coffemaker.

After check-in and quick unpacking we took the IPW bus (which is departing at the neighboring Marriott Hotel) to the McCormick Convention Center to register for the conference (www.ipw.com) and to get our official media badges. On to nearby Chinatown by train, to check out what has changed there (not much - it’s one of the few Chicago neighborhoods which is still pretty „authentic“) and afterwards, we took the train all the way to the west, to Oak Park, the neighborhood where famous architect Frank L. Wright started his carreer, worked and lived.

Oak Park is about 15 miles away from downtown but it's a world on its own, quaint, peaceful and green. Back to the city and to our hotel at 4 pm to freshen up. Out again at 5:30 pm to attend our first party: Colorado had invited to „Farmhouse" at River North. It's been a rather small,but enjoyable party with Colorado producers (attention, Dom!) being present: destillers, brewmasters, farmers (great cheeses!) etc. It’s been fun and though we drank more than we ate, we enjoyed it. Back to the hotel at 9 pm.