July the 4th we were invited to the GEM building to watch the firework display on the River Illinois. We picked a spot on the lawn and laid out some blankets, chairs and of course the mandatory cooler box with some beer and wine. Our friends had brought many snacks, and so we settled and waited for the sun to set.While we waited their was an aerial display by several old propeller planes. They were superb, and I admired their skills as they dived, climbed and looped over the sky.
The sun set after 30 minutes, and then they played the national anthem. I was moved to see the patriotism. Every one stopped (Over 200 people were on the lawn) and crossed their right arm across their heart and sang the anthem with all their hearts. You could see how proud they were to be American. Then the display started. below are some of the photos, however it is very hard with my camera to catch the fireworks so sorry if some of the images are not so clear.
