Tall Buildings Day

I wasn't quite sure what to do today, but Nik's tips on what to do in Chicago inspired my game plan. I started off with breakfast in Panera, and a call home on the free wifi.( Gotta love America, everywhere you go there's free wifi.) I planned my route to get to the Willis Tower, you all know it as the Sears Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world. Went through the security check, got my ticket, went up in the elevator (66 seconds to the top) took some pictures. Almost stepped out on the "Ledge", but not quite. Took some good pictures of the ground though! Headed back down through the gift shop to buy a couple of postcards, and outside to find some lunch and a post office for some stamps. Harder task than it seems to get some international stamps. On the way I found I was near the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and the Money Museum. Remembering a similar exhibition in Philadelphia, I went in search. The best thing about this was that it was free, and it was really interesting. Picked up a bag of shredded money, free as a souvenir. There was also an exhibit to take your picture with a pile of dollars. Printed out, and free. Brilliant, as of course I'm travelling alone, it's really difficult to get yourself in photos with no one to help. I've managed a few, but mostly with the aid of the front camera on my iPhone of course! Still needing fuel and stamps, after asking directions a few times, I found both. I found my way back to Michigan Avenue, and headed north again, taking a leisurely pace, (taking in the cultural Center, thanks Nik) but looking for a coffee shop, after all that chasing around for stamps, in the hottest part of the day, I needed another stop. Took advantage of the wifi and decided I could manage another one of Nik's top tips for Chicago; at the end of Michigan Avenue is the John Hancock Center. (There's a prize for anyone who can tell me what he's most famous for, and what his name is slang for, particularly in Washington DC- Americans disqualified!) So down into the basement to find the lift to take me to the 96th floor and the cocktail bar with an amazing view of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Now here's a few strange points about this trip to America, and about Chicago. Firstly crossing the street can be a bit of an ordeal, Chicagoans don't seem to be able to do it unaided. By the Park there are traffic control people on every corner, telling the traffic when to go, and also the pedestrians. Despite that there's the Walk / Don't Walk signs to help too, but when you think about how American driving works, this is understandable, as when the pedestrians have their cue to go, it's also ok for the drivers in the opposite direction, who have a red light, to turn right, across the walking pedestrians. So it's wise to have your wits about you when crossing the street here. Now there's just one more touristy thing I have to do while I'm here, being so far north I'm about as close as I'm going to get without being totally out of my way for the Hard Rock Cafe ( not the hotel as I discovered the other day) so I set out to find it. The food was good as always, the service excellent also. (note about service in America tomorrow) I ate and drank, and shopped ( bought a t shirt in the sale, it had to be done) and left feeling satisfied I've done just about all the touristy things you could imagine. I set out in to the fading light again, going south towards my hostel. My sense of direction serves me well, and once I've looked at the map in the coffee shop and planned my route, I do pretty well at finding my way. One final word, I'm sure you must be finding all this pretty boring, I just keep writing more and more! But, I can't stop taking photographs of all the amazing buildings!! Every time I turn a corner, I see another amazing view, same buildings from a different angle, all incredible. Seriously, I didn't think it was possible to be more overawed by architecture than in New York, but Chicago takes it, and as the legend here has it, we have Mrs. O Leary's cow to thank for that!

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