Our adventures have not stopped because we are back in the United States. A recent one hour side-trip took us to the National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio (yes, the very same Dayton, Ohio that plays host to the national amateur radio convention known as the Hamvention).

  www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

  Located on the grounds of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, this is a massive collection of well over three hundred aircraft and aeronautical memorabilia. We spent the whole day exploring everything from the Wright brothers' first Air Force "flying machine" to the latest stealth technology (while standing under the B-2 Stealth Bomber, our son called to see what we were doing. That was cool!). I even found my favorite from World War II, the P-38 Lightning. We had a great day exploring and found it fun to watch older former flyers showing their grandchildren around. The one disappointment was the in-house cafeteria. There were not very many healthy choices available and the facility prohibited picnic lunches. So if you plan to visit the museum, eat off-grounds before you arrive or after completing your tour. That being said, this was well worth the experience. The museum is very child-friendly, especially for elementary and middle-school aged kids. They would love it!

American college football evolved out of several worldwide sports activities called "football" (such as soccer and rugby) in the mid-1800's. The first recorded American collegiate game occurred in 1869 between Princton and Rutgers. Since then, the game has grown in popularity, exponentially. However, the level of popularity today appears to be truly regionalized. For instance, in the Northeast, there generally is a lower level of fan enthusiasm for the game than is evident in the Mid-Western,, Southern, or South-Western states. We had the opportunity to experience the higher level of fan enthusiasm this week when we attended the Ohio State University versus Northern Illinois game. While Ohio is a very populous state, it really has only one program that is part of the Big Five conferences; Ohio State University. OSU football fans are some of the most enthusiastic we have ever encountered. What we witnessed was a spectacle that rivaled what we envisioned the ancient Roman Coliseum events might have been. Droves of fans (from infants to the elderly) poured into the parking lot, regaled in their "...scarlet and grey", many of whom seemed to be content to remain in Tailgate mode the whole time. Permits for Tailgating spots are passed down through generations of families. The stadium itself, built in 1922, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in sports. Covering 14.5 acres, it can hold nearly 105 thousand spectators. The stadium is home to the largest television screen in the world, as well as "The Best Damn Band in the Land." Traditions abound during this Saturday afternoon ritual, from the singing of "Carmen Ohio" (the oldest school song still used) at the start and finish of each game, to the ringing of the third-down bell during opponents possessions, to the whole stadium spelling out "O H I O" in waves. And, oh yes, there was a football game to watch as well! It was an event that we will not soon forget.

  We closed out our visit to Chicago by visiting the Adler Planitarium. Founded in 1930 by former Sears Executive, Max Adler, the Planitarium is dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics. Planetariums, per se, had only been around since their inception in 1923, so the Adler became the first such institution in the Western Hemisphere. It contains three full size theaters and one of the best antique scientific instrument collections in the United States. The Doane Observatory is the only place in Chicago where the general public can see planets, stars, and galaxies up close. The view of Chicago's skyline from the Adler is spectacular and one of the best in the city. In 1987, the Adler was designated a National Historical landmark.

  Now that we have completed the first year of our travel adventure, Lori and I have been reflecting on some of the tips we have learned along the way. Deciding that these tips fall into a number of categories, sharing them with our followers might prove useful. Presented here is the first grouping, which focuses on "Money Issues";

  *- Before starting your trip, seriously consider setting up direct deposits for incoming monies. That way, you will not have to deal with mail and deposit slips;

  *- In the same vein, set up automatic pay features for all recurring monthly bills (e.g. Telephone and/or credit cards). This eliminates APR fees;

  *- Check with your bank for a list of overseas partner banks, in order to reduce or eliminate cash advance fees;

  *- Many banks offer "Travel Rewards" credit cards, in addition to regular credit cards. Travel Rewards cards usually earn you points, when used for purchases, that you can then trade in for services and/or currency rewards;

  *- Keeping financial notebook ledgers helps with tracking income and outgo;

  *- Keep small amounts of local currency (in your pocket) available for quick access. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere (especially in smaller shops/restaurants). Secure bulk of money in a separate safe place on your person;

  *- Always check with vendors, prior to making a purchase, to see if credit cards are accepted, as opposed to cash;

  *- Exchange money for local currency "In Country" at partner banks or "No Fee Exchange Services" rather than at home or at the airport. This way, you will get a better exchange;

  *- In country, try to get money out of ATM's located within banks (rather than free standing ATM's) during regular banking hours. If the machine malfunctions, someone will be there to help resolve the issue (especially if the ATM "eats" your card);

  *- Also, when getting money from a bank ATM, use a debit or ATM card, rather than a credit card, for lower fee rates;

  *- We generally rented furnished apartments in each country visited. It is advisable to use well established rental agencies, such as VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) or Home Away, that provide apartment pictures and previous renter reviews;

  *- Never pay the full rental price UNTIL the apartment is actually seen. Paying a deposit fee should be sufficient. Most rentals accept payment by means of "PayPal", which is a more secure process;

  *- Check the Internet regarding tipping customs. Tipping in some countries is considered insulting. In addition, people in some other countries tip at a lower percentage rate than is customary in the U.S.;

  *- Don't get scammed! Hire a taxi with a meter. No meter - get out!! There are plenty of officially licensed cabs.

  We will be adding additional travel tips in other postings.

  As we begin to wrap up this first year's travel adventure, two questions have yet to be answered; why did we choose to finish up in Chicago?; and why stay in a hotel rather than a furnished apartment, such those we have been renting throughout this trip? The simple answer to question one is that Chicago is conveniently located between our last stop, Montreal, and our temporary home base in Columbus, Ohio. Plus, our children have been encouraging us to visit "the Windy City" for years. The more complicated answer, at least for question two, involves our wanting to "pamper" ourselves a bit to celebrate completion of our initial foray into this travel adventure. And pamper ourselves we did! The Palmer House is luxurious! We were upgraded to the "Executive Level" floor, which included breakfast, dinner, and snacks daily. Conveniently located within the "Chicago Loop", we were able to walk to most of the major attractions (with the exception of the Museum of Science and Industry, which was a brief ten minute bus ride). It has been a little difficult for us to fully grasp the idea that this year is nearly complete, but we are already looking forward to continuing the adventure after we catch up with our children and their families. Without any hesitation at all, we believe that taking this journey was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We have had a fabulous time and have met some wonderful people along the way. To all the followers of our adventure, we wish to say "Thank You" for sharing this journey with us and for offering your many kind comments on the different segments. While this part of our journey may be ending, we will not be abandoning the blog. Over the next few weeks, we will be posting some final wrap-up ideas and tips that we have been gathering as we traveled. We hope that you find them as helpful and entertaining as the other postings.

The Shedd Aquarium is part of Chicago's Museum Campus (along with the Field Museum and the Adler Planitarium). John G. Shedd, a protege of Marshall Field, gifted the aquarium to the city. It was the first inland aquarium with a permanent salt water fish collection and,at one time, was the largest aquarium in the world. Construction began in November of 1927 and was opened in May of 1930. A custom made railroad train, named the Nautilus, with 20 tank cars, made eight round trip voyages from Key West, Florida, in order to transport the fish and saltwater to Chicago. In 1971, one of the aquarium's most popular exhibits, the 90,000 gallon Caribbean Coral Reef, was added. At the same time, the first research vessel was purchased. By 1987, the Shedd Aquarium was placed on the National Register of Historical places.

  Entrepreneur Marshall Field introduced business partner Potter Palmer to Socialite Bertha Honore and they quickly fell in love. As a wedding gift to his new wife, Palmer built the first Palmer House Hotel, a three story edifice that opened on September 26, 1871. Unfortunately, the Great Chicago Fire occurred thirteen days later and the hotel burned down. Palmer quickly rebuilt the hotel, this time it was seven stories, with oversized rooms and luxurious decor. Constructed of iron and brick, Palmer advertised it as "the world's only fire proof hotel." This second Palmer House Hotel opened in 1875. Visitors included U.S. grant, James Garfield, Mark Twain, Grover Cleaveland, Oscar Wilde, L. Frank Baum, and Sarah Bernhardt. By 1925, a new 25 story hotel was constructed on the same location as the second Palmer House. Conrad Hilton bought the hotel in 1945. Then in 2005, it was again sold, this time to Thor Equities, and the hotel was completely renovated. Now containing 1639 rooms, the Palmer House is the second largest hotel in Chicago (after the Hyatt Regency).

Exploring the neighborhood around the Palmer House, we discovered some very interesting sights;

For two full days, we have been exploring one of the world's largest natural history museums, with over 24 million specimens and objects: the Field Museum of Chicago. The beginnings of this museum date back to the Chicago World's Fair (also known as the World's Colombian Exposition) of 1893. Merchant Marshall Field was talked into funding the museum, which was originally called the Columbian Museum of Chicago. The only remaining building from the 1893 Exposition ( The Palace of Fine Arts) became the home for the new museum. In 1905, the name was changed to Field Museum of Natural history and by 1921 it relocated to its current site on area known as the Museum Campus (while the previous site became the Museum of Science and Industry). Ten years later, the Field Museum had become one of three premier natural history museums in the United States (after the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.). In May of 2000, "Sue", the most complete and best preserved T-Rex fossil (approximately 67 million years old) became one of the museum's highlight exhibits. Over two million visitors per year visit the Field Museum.

  While we have returned to the United States, our adventure has not ended. Chicago is the current stop on this journey, and today we visited the art Institute of Chicago. In 1866, a group of 35 artists founded the Chicago Academy of Design (a free art school and gallery)in the historic Michigan Boulevard District. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the original building, throwing the Academy into debt (up to $10,000 by 1878). The Chicago Academy of Design finally went bankrupt in 1879, with the newly formed Chicago Academy of Fine Arts buying all of its assets. A name change to the Art Institute of Chicago occurred in 1882, along with a continuing program of growth and acquisition. Today, with one million square feet of exhibition space within eight buildings, the Art Institue of Chicago is the second-largest art museum in America (after the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) with three million works of art, including the renowned "American Gothic". Nearly two million visitors per year enjoy the museum's exhibitions.

  As we wrap up this first year's adventure and say goodbye to Canada, we need to acknowledge one last group of folks we have met along this part of our journey:

During this whole year's experience, we had the good fortune to meet so many fantastic people who shared their stories and travels with us. We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of them for their kindness and friendship.