The Windy City

I've met some very friendly people on this trip. Starting with all the friendly people at the wedding. I discovered on my morning trips for breakfast, the friendly lady at the till who wished me a good trip, and now remembers me each morning as the girl from England. I said my night didn't end quite how I expected. I got talking to a man at the bar who introduced himself as Fireman Pat. ( are you thinking fireman sam, or postman pat?!) Anyway, he works for the Chicago Fire Dept, he's travelled in Europe, and he also introduced me to the proprietor of the bar. I said, and so did the guide book, that this place was sort of Irish, well I guess that's because the owner is Irish. And of course fireman Pat is Irish. Irish American of course. Anyway, before I left they gave me some tips on what to do on my last day in Chicago. Lots of people on this trip have recommended the architecture boat tour. So I decided that they all couldn't be wrong. After breakfast, and a chat with the nice lady in Panera, and a call home, I went in search of tickets for this boat trip. By chance I passed the shop for the company which runs the tours, so I went in, got my ticket for the 1 o'clock tour, had a look around the gift shop which had some interesting, unusual gifts. And then took my time instead of dashing as I had been, now I knew where I was going and what time to be there. I arrived in good time and stood in line ( see I'm settling in here, I've even got the phrases right - line not queue) I stood in the sunshine, and went upstairs to get a seat in the sun. I only managed half the tour outside though, it was too hot and sunny outside, I caught a little too much sunshine, and suffered for it the rest of the day. So I spent the rest of the trip downstairs in the cold, air conditioned, but not such good views as outside. However, I think I'd seen the best of it first. Afterwards it was time for a coffee and a snack, tomato soup again. It's good soup and fills a hole on a hot day. I think this chain also have outlets in DC and if I remember correctly, I lived on this tomato soup as it was so hot then (95 degrees) it's nearly that hot here now. And it's forecast to be about that tomorrow. So after my stop I decided to wander back up past the shops again, stopped in a couple, and sat outside the water tower to peruse the guide book. On my last afternoon I wanted to make sure that there was nothing that I'd been close to and missed. I went back in to the Water Tower Mall and decided that a good option for food would be the place I'd been to the other afternoon for lunch. It says don't call it a food court, but that's basically what it is. You go in, get a plastic card, and take a seat, then you walk around all the stations and choose what you want to eat, Chinese, sushi, baked potato, soup, there's a bar, all kinds of things. Anyway, you get what you want to eat, and hand over your card, and on the way out, you give back the card, and pay for what you owe on the card. It's a great idea if you were with a group and all wanted different things. And the food is pretty good. I came out of the building and planned on heading back to the bar I'd been in last night, but 2 things got in the way of this. First the wind started to blow. (it is the Windy City right?) and then of course, the heavens opened. Instead of meandering back down the street, like every one else I started to run. So of course when I got to where I was going, so had everyone else. And there was really no space to stand and drip dry, so I headed back out and decided to stop at the next place I came to. It's a busy, bustling sports bar and restaurant. I think it's also in the guidebook. Not quite so posh as the night before, but the prices also match. I'm starting to think I've missed my calling in life - as a travel writer or restaurant reviewer. All i do is write about the food and drink! There's time yet. When I stepped outside to head back to the Youth Hostel, there was the most amazing electric storm going on. Beautiful, but just a little scary in a city of skyscrapers. So different to back home, where we get a few flashes and a few rumbles of thunder. Here it rumbles away constantly, the lightning lights up the sky several times in quick succession, and then you get an enormous crash. Unfortunately I didn't manage any pictures. One more note: I've just realised it's exactly 5 years almost to the day since I was in DC and New York the first time. So much has changed since then and some things haven't. I still love America.

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