You went where?

To Milwaukee for a couple days.

Our objective was to road trip to a Detroit Pistons basketball game since good seats are hard to come by at the Palace. Thought Milwaukee Bucks would give us as good chance as any for decent seats at decent price. We found a couple good seats on Ebay but I screwed up timing for "best offer" process and missed counteroffer deadline, so I lost the bid -- a learning experience. These same seats showed up on Stubhub; they cost more than on Ebay but far less than face value, even after paying Stubhub commission and shipping. Seats were in lower section just off Piston bench baseline. Not bad. When we had the tickets, we booked transportation and hotel.

We boarded Amtrak train at 6 am in Lapeer, changed trains in Chicago, and arrived that afternoon in Milwaukee. (More on Amtrak in another post.) Stayed at Hyatt Hotel. Good location downtown just two blocks from Bradley Center. Took walking tour of Hyatt neighborhood and the riverwalk before dinner. Ate atop Hyatt in their revolving restaurant. The food was good and view outstanding. Our timing put us there at sunset. The restaurant revolved and gave us views about the city. Through through dinner the view changed from daylight to nighttime city lights.

Tuesday morning was sunny and getting warmer. We took skywalks from hotel through Grand Avenue Mall whose stores would not open until 11 am. Our goal was to be reach Lake Michigan in time to see the "wings" on the Milwaukee Art Museum open at 10 am. The building is designed in shape of a great lakes schooner, and the wings are a sunscreen covering the glass roof; they swivel upward along a spine to form a "sail" for the ship. A bowsprit protrudes from the bow forming a bridge from the museum across traffic. And in the stern of the museum great windows provide a view of Lake Michigan behind. Quite impressive building. We toured the lobby (more like a great hall) but not exhibit areas.

We made our way along the lake to Discovery World, a science center containing a couple interesting areas, both incomplete and with some exhibits not working. Even so we spent a few hours there along with some schoolkids. Some students eagerly showed us how to work some of the exhibits.

We ate lunch along the river. Then off to see the IMAX movie Roving Mars at Milwaukee Public Museum. This trek was away from the lake and beyond our hotel. We enjoy IMAX movies and this was no exception.

Got to Bradley Center just as it opened, found our seats easily. However many Bucks fans must have had difficulties because there were empty seats throughout the game. Pistons played well enough to win and fortunate that a last second Bucks' shot did not fall. Fun time at the game.

The following morning was breakfast followed by train to Lapeer and home.

All in all, a very fun trip. Got away for a few days, saw a Pistons win, read some books and magazines, ate well, and gained an appreciation of another American city.