2003 Chicago GT

Pictures and commentary by Natilena. Also see GT photos by Marisa for additional images and content!

Friday Travelling

On the train.
The 10hr train ride was quite a trip. This is some random field someplace in Southern Ontario. Theres lots of them and the ALL look the same. *snore*

Still on the train
Yup, another field. After a while I gave up and went to sleep all curled up across 2 seats. Even then I don't recommend it as the best position to nap in.

Yup, on the train.
Would you belive there are other trains on the railway? Lookie here! Proof. :P

Can I get off yet?
Its like the train ride that never ends. We sat at the border for about an hour I think. About 4 people got pulled off for various reasons and came back. I, of course being the perfect elf I am had no trouble at all.

Am I there yet?
By the time I actually got off the train and into Union Station at Chicago I was no longer interested in anything but finding my hotel room and a shower so the last picture of my travels is here in the middle of nowhere also known as Michigan.

The Hotel Room
They were small but pretty fancy. The bed was a king size but I'd swear it was made by dwarves who have no clue that there are beings taller than 5 feet. Wait, you didn't peak in my suitcase did you?

Its Pink??!!
All the rooms were like this one, its not quite pink but its pretty darned close.

The Hotel Again
The only desk in the room. Notice the chat window on the laptop featuring Boyardee and Wylin making the last minute plans. I'll thank you not to notice the drink I felt was necessary after such a trip.

One Last View
Uhm, yeah. That is all.

Friday Drinks

Boyardee
Our Chicago native, leader and soon to be birthday boy.

Camera Envy!
Tokugawa passing his fancy camera over Marisa to show it off to Triston. Tokugawa won the award for biggest camera I'd think.

Hide me!
Lania hiding, though I'm not sure why now. Maybe she's still hiding from Triston. Lania met up with me earlier and we were wasting some time before meeting the group Friday night at 9. We sat down at the hotel bar to enjoy a drink when all of a sudden Lania's true seeing alerted her to an evil presence in the room.... Triston!

EVIL!
Or maybe I'm the evil one for leaving this picture in :) Several people over the weekend suffered the curse of sitting too close to me. Sorry Tris but its a good picture!

Marisa & Tokugawa
Also featuring Triston's leg!

Its them again
And the camera! Its become second nature now to always check behind me when walking to make sure Toku hasn't been left behind taking pictures. Hope I get over it soon, I'll never see him sneak up on me in SafeHaven

Sleepy Time?
Lania now looking sleepier rather than scared. I'll admit to that being my knee in the corner too.

Saturday

Its this way!
This way for shopping! You can almost see The Gap in the distance. We never did locate Victoria's Secret :( This was just after a lunch at the Rainforest with the loudest desert I've ever encountered. Yes that is not a typo. Loud.

Solaron and Katrana
Err, yeah. Thats them all right!

Always obey the sign
I think I'll just let this one speak for itself.

More Walking?
The small group of Solaron, Katrana, Triston, Lania, Marisa, Tokugawa and I (the shopping crew) did huge amounts of walking around that afternoon. We covered a lot of distance looking for the stores we all wanted to see. And of course walking on Wacker Ave is always fun too.

Still walking!
from L to R: Lania, Tokugawa, Marisa, Katrana, Triston, Solaron

Group Picture #1
front: Marisa, Tokugawa, DarkClaw, Boyardee, Triston middle/back: Vorax, Wylin, Lorax, Edge, Natilena, Inthar, Myronides, Isolas, Solaron, Katrana, Kylanae, Lania I don't have any other pictures from the Navy Pier for some reason. It could be the shock of seeing Solaron strip down and hop into the lake or maybe I was just lazy.

Group Picture #2
front: Marisa, Tokugawa, DarkClaw, Boyardee, Triston middle/back: Vorax, Wylin, Lorax, Edge, Natilena, Inthar, Myronides, Isolas, Solaron, Katrana, Kylanae, Lania

Wylin's Beer
Lania, Inthar and DarkClaw on the right side watch Wylin in the middle pouring from "his" pitcher.

Table shot
DarkClaw, Vorax, Isolas, Edge, Edge's friend on one side and Kylanae on the other

Across the table
This is across the table from me, Kylanae and Triston. We had a fun trip led by Boyardee through Chicago's bus system to get over to Connie's pizza located just by Chicago's Chinatown.

Table's other end.
Myronides suffering the curse of sitting next to me so he got the close up. Lorax and Solaron across from him. Hiding but also on that end of the table is Marisa, Tokugawa and Boyardee.

yeah yeah its me
And I'm all squinty for some reason. I put everyone else's bad pictures up so heres one of me so there's not need to PK me. We all suffer together!

Sunday

Sears Tower
After a healty breakfast at Dunkin Donuts a smaller group headed out to the Sears Tower. Wylin, Lorax, Tokugawa, Marisa, Katrana, Solaron, Lania, Triston and Myself.

Cold isn't it?
It was colder than we all expected but at least Marisa was well prepared. Wish I had have been prepared.

Taking Pictures
Wonder if she got the same shot I did?

Tower View

Another Tower View

Will he jump?
Wylin tries to convice Lorax to test out the fly potion he just brewed up.

Evil Look?
Is that an evil look or a good one Wylin?

Fuzzy View
Katrana and Solaron.. slightly fuzzy

Camera Dual
Solaron challenging me to a camera dual.

Still in the tower
Solaron and Katrana (note: they haven't fallen out yet)

More Fuzzy Tower
Marisa and Lania this time

Vroom Vroom
In the car on the way to Wrigley Field. I didn't know dwarves could drive? Quick where's my seatbelt

In the car
Doesn't Lania know she's in mortal danger with Lorax driving? She should hold on tighter

Backwards Dwarves
Wylin in the mirror.

Getting Closer!
Look we made it!

Brrrr
I'd swear this is how Lorax looked the entire time, he was a little chilly I think.

Wrigley Field
Wylin waiting to cross the road to get the Wrigley

Its the Others!
Triston, Marisa and Tokugawa made it! Wonder if driving with Evil is as scary as it was with Dwarves.

Baseball
Yup.. and the Cubs won too.

Climbing the stairs
After all that walking all day Saturday and again Sunday were're still walking up up and higher up to where our seats were.

To my Right
We have Marisa and Tokugawa, Lania is supposed to be there but shes hiding and Lorax is huddled in a little ball at the end trying to keep warm.

To my left
Wylin and Triston!