"At 7:15 am last Friday morning, 19 very tired but excited honors students began their annual trek to Chicago. The nine-hour bus ride was interrupted by a picnic lunch next to the Mississippi River. Run Lola Run, a very strange but highly recommendable film was the in-bus movie.
The Lutheran School of Theology provided lodgings. The students had little time to enjoy them before they left for dinner at Morry's Deli, where the pastrami is constantly coming into being, as soon as their beds were picked out.
The evening consisted of a hilarious rendition of Shakespeare's "Two Gentleman of Verona" by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and a casual stroll along Navy Pier. A few of the students chose to brave the cold on the Ferris wheel, while the rest of the group walked along the beautiful lakefront or in the mall.
Later that night, despite horror stories from Bob and Barb Mesle, six courageous students chose to brave the streets of the windy city in search of a Dunkin' Doughnuts, one of the finer restaurants in Chicago.
The next day proved to be even more entertaining, as the group was let free to reign havoc on the city at the Field Museum of Natural History.
The Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium,
the planetarium,
and an attempt at the Chicago Art Institute
were some of the sights undertaken. The group also honored the Celtic festival
with its presence, where two foolhardy students attempted the riverdance in front of the crowd with their fellow students egging them on.
The "Married...with Chidren" fountain was a definite photo-stop.
The Star Wars audio tour at the Field Museum of Natural History was a photo opportunity as well, although Darth Maul was not on exhibit.
The lack of even a simple Darth Maul action figure in the store disappointed more than one person.
The transition from day to night consisted of the students eating Chicago-style pizza from Giordano's. A music festival was the scheduled plan, but the line stretched around the block. Instead, some students chose a casual stroll, or limp, down Michigan Avenue, while others returned to the Celtic festival across the street. A few did make it back to the end of the music festival and mamboed the night away. For those who did not, the huge Virgin Music store more than made up for it.
The night ended with an interesting and enlightening conversation, and a viewing of the highly intellectual film South Park. The next morning, the 19 students returned to the bus, bright and early, forever changed and hardened by the mean streets of Chicago. They made their way back to watch the grass grow in the exciting town of Lamoni.
-Chris Phillips "The Graceland Tower" September 22, 2000