Chicago

September 2014

Arriving to Chicago by train was really cool, since I got to stare out the window and pretend like I was in a scene of a movie while looking at a great view of the city as the train rolled in - don’t pretend like you don’t do this when traveling somewhere and listening to dramatic music. Also trains are my favourite way to travel:

1: The seats are super comfy and spacious

2: Free Wi-Fi

3: Power points to charge electronics and

4: There is a food cart if you feel hungry

I love a good train ride!

Chicago was a new city, which meant a great new place for getting lost within. In the first 10 minutes Conor, Devon and I were lost. The transit system had us very confused and a little to shy to ask people for help. But finally we worked out that trains stations were running above the ground and below. We made our way to our hostel, that was located a 7 minute walk away from the Wrigley stadium which was super cool. We spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding neighborhood of our hostel. We were in a home depot store for many hours picking up random tools and making bad puns. I myself wasn’t very good at it but I enjoyed hearing what the boys would come up with. We ended the night at Bacci Pizzeria with $5 jumbo pizza slices that was the size of my face and a re fillable cup of soda. It was the best $5 I had spent and when you’re in Chicago you have to buy pizza it’s a must!

I’m ashamed to say that I always thought the Cloud Gate sculpture was called the bean. Nonetheless I have now educated myself on its name and, I was very excited to see it for myself as its on my list of things to see! I spent a lot of time here taking photos and admiring it beauty before moving on and discovering more of the city.

So obviously I had to add in a bit of sneaky shopping, where I got to explore the city and shops. Like who doesn’t love a good bit of shopping especially when you’re in another country and get to bring home items nobody has back home! Next stop was Willis Tower. I had to get up this beauty ASAP 1st: because of the beautiful 360˚ views of Chicago and 2nd: The glass balcony on the skydeck. It’s a box completely made out of glass, which is located on the 103rd floor and, it is 1,353 feet (412 m) high. Can you feel the excitement of the daredevil inside of me?? It was like floating on top of the city.

We were keen to visit the Zoo but halfway there we realised the Zoo was already closed, it being 5pm. You forget about things like time when traveling, because you are out of your usual schedule of wake up go to school/work and then back home. So you tend to forget that some places actually have closing times! You’re just so busy trying to jam everything into you schedule it slips your mind. So we changed course and headed to the beach for a quick ice cream stop before heading to our last stop of the night Navy Pier. I didn’t know much about Navy Pier just that I wanted to go there. I was very under prepared for this massive tourist attraction. It was a 50-acre playground of entertainment, museums, Imax Theater, restaurants, and shops. I am a big lover of the sky and sunsets and that night we got the best view of the city from the pier with a beautiful sunset falling behind it as we watched the city turn from day to night and city lights turn on and fill the sky. The photo does not do it justice!

The trip to Chicago was short but it had left me longing for more. I will for sure be back in this city some time in the future, to do all the things I missed and maybe catch the Zoo on its opening hours!

Thank you Chicago you were fab!

-L

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