Blogs from Chicago, Illinois, United States, North America - page 77

Hey, quick update for you all on your Monday at work. We've tried to upload some pics in the Gallery part..so let me know if that worked. It only took 2 hours (while we tried to book NY sleeping arrangements...nightmare stuff). The numbers are for the order...you know how Abbey loves her organising of EVERYTHING. Chicagos ok. Had a shit of a time yesterday from the Airport where we got on a shuttle...waited for a bit, then got taken off and told we would get another one...about 1 and a half hours later the guy came to take us. In the meantime we met some really nice Chicago...inians? anyways, they were cool and told us where to go. So then on the drive to the hostel the driver tried to blame our wait on us, which ... read more

So when we eventually landed after all the rain on the runway we got our bags and head to our new best friend the CTA which would take us all over the city. Took 2 trains, 2 hours and one spotting of an albino to get to our hostel so by 2am, now another hour behind the UK, we eventually got to sleep in the 'I love Lucy and Liz' room. Slept like babies and couldnt be bothered getting up for free bagels so at 10 we ventured out to find the bean... the bean is a big mirrored shaped... bean called 'the millenium ball' that you can see the city in it... hard to explain but you can look at it for hours! then watched free Opera and saw the fountains in millenium park. Went ... read more

My R took me to the Shedd Aquarium where we spent the entire day with my finned friends. 'Twas the best day ever!, as Spongebob would say. (We have a picture together somewhere in the end of this post. Fun fun!) Soy for the lactose-intolerant and the... err, roof? The Shedd is a short bus ride from St. Peters where we heard mass. In less than 20 minutes, we were walking to the entrance of the aquarium which boasts of its Greek architecture with intricately-designed columns and huge staircase. I once read that in its effort to conserve energy, the Shedd used soy as a coating in its roof which helps lower the building's cooling needs. Cool, noh? There was quite a crowd in the aquarium -- tourists and Chicagoans. So, with a map on hand ... read more

Woke up after an aweful night sleep. Got attacked by coons. Big fat Kentucky State Park feed coons. I would scare them away and they would keep coming back. Noisy bunch of coons. I didn't have food out or anything. Clearly they had become domesticated. Got up at 5:00AM. It was cold in Eastern Tennessee about 48 in the mountains. Road for an hour to best, cleanest, nicest Waffle house that I have ever been too. Warmed up and grubbed a great breakfast. Rode through the tobacco fields of Kentucky. Flew around the beltway of Cincinnatti, crossed the Ohio into the flatlands called Indiana. Indiana has corn and soybeans with the occasional dirt track, indoor motocross, a Velodome, etc. Also, the home of the John Cougar Mellancamp. Driving through Indiana I could hear Small Town playing ... read more

So I spent my last night in Chicago going to a concert with friends. It was here that I realized a lot of things about my upcoming trip. I basically speak English. That’s it. In junior high they asked me which foreign language I wanted to take and I thought: “I better take Spanish. It’s more common and in case I ever leave the United States chances are it will be more useful.” Oddly enough, I’ve never been to Mexico and today I leave on my first international trip. To Paris. If only the kids that chose to speak French and, subsequently, endured the wrath of my bullying could see me about to struggle with even the most mundane of tasks like asking for the check at a restaurant. They would love it. I am loud, ... read more