So, after our rather delayed Journey via Amtrak and transfer we were somewhat peckish....Juan on reception had suggested the Hancock tower....sorry Juan ...but after the journey we had somewhere close sounds better!!!
So looking through the guide he gave us....a place called the Italian Village Jumped out at me....Spaghetti and pizza...perfect...both sorted! Chris was happy, I was happy and by now it was 8pm and we were hungry. The Italian village has 3 parts and is Chicago's oldest Italian restaurant and just one block from the hotel.
Off we went...walking in the up market restaurant first...opps...$20 for an starter....and the menu left much to be desired....we gave our apologies and ran for it...upstairs we went to the Village....much better!!! Bread sticks and water immediately supplied and a wonderful atmosphere.... less than $20 for a main...that's better! Chris had a 12" pizza....Kate Spaghetti Bolognese.....Soooo good but servings were sooooo big!! A very enjoyable welcome to Chicago, made all the better when asking for a business card the Manager said to Chris....'that is a very nice accent, where are you from??' of course charming us to return but that's not the point here....'the United Kingdom' we replied in our most British of accents....but in our heads thinking 'Her Most Britannic Majesty's Sovereign Territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and all overseas territories and dominions that fall under the shadow of her crown and sceptre!!!!' or something like that...
So we returned to the hotel...such a walk!!! Suitably feed, watered and complemented. As many of you will know...we then battled with the hotel Internet to complete our Yellowstone Mammoth blog.....epic!!! We were suitably entertained with CSI:NY thank god!!! And so some 3 1/2 hours later we collapsed and slept right through till our alarm.....we weren't going to waste any time despite acting like zombies as were prepared to leave the hotel!!!
So it was off to our first stop...Sears (now Willis) tower and to the anticipated Sky deck. We were expecting no more than great views of the city....seeing all 4 states was not likely, as the heat just wouldn't allow for that. As we exited the elevators, which raised us up 103 floors in 1 minute, we were met with the most awesome views.....hello Chicago.
It was then off to the Skywalk part of the Skydeck.....the new attraction.....the clear glass floor 103 stores above the ground. Nothing between us and the ground but a few inches of glass....never seems enough!! Chris braver than I took the photo below, as I plucked up the courage to step over the edge!!! Why, he asks, can you fly so easily and find these things terrifying??' I don't actually know...i guess i am weird in that way....or maybe, because planes have things to help you survive....this has nothing...nothing at all!!
As this picture indicates on it, but still terrified!!
Together a little more confident...as the poor little European who was taking the picture battled with stupid little girls.....we will come back hating all children!!
Having returned to the sidewalk, looking up was much better. Below is the side of Willis tower that houses the Skywalk....you can't actually see them as they are so far up. What an amazing feat of engineering and architecture though, wouldn't you agree? What this picture doesn't show is its full layout, conceived using a pack of cigarettes, the building is staggered, one tower, the Skydeck tower, stands 105 floors tall with a double antenna, another one tower 90 floors and two further towers stand at 60 floors tall (or something like that....you get the picture can't remember the whole video!).
By this point it was approaching 2pm and hunger and coffee withdrawal were kicking in....next stop....Starbucks and Mc'Donalds....yummm. The Mc'Donalds was attached to the CHASE building which sloped upwards at and angle very cool!!
Enjoying the sunshine we went down to the fountain and found the pigeons...just like Britain!! Funny!!!
We continued to wonder heading towards the Magnificent Mile via Michigan Avenue, along here we would find the Tribune building, A and F!! Many more shops and 'Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight, get down tonight'....yes the John Hancock Tower, home of the observatory and the rainbow room (The in-laws??!!), We had also seen the big red thing that Jerry and Steve land by in the film having jumped off the John Hancock tower!!! This clip .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tc4MmOkwU&feature=related .. shows kinda what we mean....for those that don't know what the hell we are on about!! As we continued to walk we enjoyed some fabulous architecture that makes the home of the first skyscraper so famous.
Together a little more confident...as the poor little European who was taking the picture battled with stupid little girls.....we will come back hating all children!!
Having returned to the sidewalk, looking up was much better. Below is the side of Willis tower that houses the Skywalk....you can't actually see them as they are so far up. What an amazing feat of engineering and architecture though, wouldn't you agree? What this picture doesn't show is its full layout, conceived using a pack of cigarettes, the building is staggered, one tower, the Skydeck tower, stands 105 floors tall with a double antenna, another one tower 90 floors and two further towers stand at 60 floors tall (or something like that....you get the picture can't remember the whole video!).
The area that we are staying and where Willis tower is, is called the loop, named purely because raised metro like train runs in a loop around the theatre and financial districts. It was odd if you caught a train crossing the road or above you when you can look right through the track!!
By this point it was approaching 2pm and hunger and coffee withdrawal were kicking in....next stop....Starbucks and Mc'Donalds....yummm. The Mc'Donalds was attached to the CHASE building which sloped upwards at and angle very cool!!
Enjoying the sunshine we went down to the fountain and found the pigeons...just like Britain!! Funny!!!
We continued to wonder heading towards the Magnificent Mile via Michigan Avenue, along here we would find the Tribune building, A and F!! Many more shops and 'Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight, get down tonight'....yes the John Hancock Tower, home of the observatory and the rainbow room (The in-laws??!!), We had also seen the big red thing that Jerry and Steve land by in the film having jumped off the John Hancock tower!!! This clip .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tc4MmOkwU&feature=related .. shows kinda what we mean....for those that don't know what the hell we are on about!! As we continued to walk we enjoyed some fabulous architecture that makes the home of the first skyscraper so famous.
Our hotel (below), is attached to the Majestic Theatre, it is 2 1/2 rooms wide and 22 floors high.....very quaint but very grand.....the room was huge!! We were on the 19th floor, on the photo see where the ledge is near the top, that is the level we were at!!!
Eventually after gawping our way down Monroe, we hit Michigan avenue, the opposite side of the road was Grant Park that had some fun looking artwork. This most entertaining was the 'bubble'....can you spot us???
This little piece of art made for interesting viewing and offered a rather surreal experience!!
Chicago's gridded layout made navigation very easy, but also provided great views; you could literally see for miles!!!!
Everywhere you looked there is celebration both of Chicago's heritage as a city and part of the state of Illinois, both through plaques, Images (below) and flags.....everywhere!!!
As we returned to Michigan avenue we continued north crossing over the Chicago river which runs through the city into lake Michigan.
This led us right to the Tribune tower, made famous by its collection of artifacts from a variety of world landmarks and sites of historical importance. The building curently houses the Chicago Tribune and a rock from the moon!!!!
Eventually after gawping our way down Monroe, we hit Michigan avenue, the opposite side of the road was Grant Park that had some fun looking artwork. This most entertaining was the 'bubble'....can you spot us???
This little piece of art made for interesting viewing and offered a rather surreal experience!!
Chicago's gridded layout made navigation very easy, but also provided great views; you could literally see for miles!!!!
Everywhere you looked there is celebration both of Chicago's heritage as a city and part of the state of Illinois, both through plaques, Images (below) and flags.....everywhere!!!
As we returned to Michigan avenue we continued north crossing over the Chicago river which runs through the city into lake Michigan.
This led us right to the Tribune tower, made famous by its collection of artifacts from a variety of world landmarks and sites of historical importance. The building curently houses the Chicago Tribune and a rock from the moon!!!!
There were many, many wonderful samples, mere pieces of rock but, what they symbolised meant so much more, a piece of the Berlin Wall, The Great Wall of China, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776), a rock from Omaha Beach, where the allies suffered such huge casualties during the D-Day invasion of 1944, Chris's personal favourite a piece of the Colosseum in Rome (Below)
Sydney Opera House, The White House, our very own Houses of Parliament...
A piece of fossilised Giant Redwood Tree, the Dome of St Peter's Basilica, Rome (below); even a stone from Beaumaris Castle, Wales.
a welcome return, if only for a brief moment to Yellowstone National Park...
Along with Omaha Beach, more stones from significant Battle sites, Flodden Field, from the wars between England and Scotland, The siege of Dublin, whose walls held fast against King James II and the newest and perhaps most poignant... the first battlefield of the war on terrorism... Ground Zero from the 9/11 terror attacks.
On a more cheerful note, Chris found a set from a piece of television history, CSI:NY. when Det. Taylor returns to his home town of Chicago to try and solve the mystery of his Nemesis the notorious 333 killer. He visits the Tribune Tower following up on some evidence he found in New York....an impression of the Hagia Sophia, Constantinople from the wall of the Tribune Tower....of course Chris found it!!!!! Gary Sinise stood right here!!!!!! (mum and dad i know you don't care but Hannah!!! how cool is that)
So we continued on up Michigan Avenue which had now become the magnificent Mile.....Chicago's shopping district home to the posh....Chanel, Giorgio Armani and Polo Ralph Lauren; the departments....Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue (can you tell its origin is NYC!!!...Ma); the wired American Girl Place....a weird doll shop that spoilt little girls go to...like a giant fat barbie....but damn right scary dolls!!! The intention was to find Abercrombie and Fitch...we knew it was 800 and something....but we reach 900 and hadn't found it....hummm...we hadn't smelt it either weird. But our attention was diverted from A and F hunting by the discovery of the Hancock plaza and there standing high and mighty the Hancock Tower.
Anyway we had time to spare before returning to the Hancock tower for the evening so we departed Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile via Lake Shore Drive in favour of Lake Michigan. It was stunning, so clear as well, a real treat right on the edge of such a bustleing city
Chris had made a spot early in the day of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. from Forrest Gump??!! And there it was at Navy Pier...Signs on the tables read 'run forrest run' and 'stop forrst stop' for the waiters...clever it saves you having to politly catch the eye of the waiter and all that. We strolled up Dock Street passing themed boat tours, Ice cream vendors, the tubular donut things...yummy. And we reached the end and we took a look back at the city... wow, despite the ever growing haze gatering, the photos still show, but can't quite capture, the absolutly stunning view.
Having lost the light were now peckish again; determined not to pay the ridulous prices of the cafe in the observatory (which was poorly stocked anyway) we decended to ground level again and off for dinner.
Sydney Opera House, The White House, our very own Houses of Parliament...
A piece of fossilised Giant Redwood Tree, the Dome of St Peter's Basilica, Rome (below); even a stone from Beaumaris Castle, Wales.
a welcome return, if only for a brief moment to Yellowstone National Park...
Along with Omaha Beach, more stones from significant Battle sites, Flodden Field, from the wars between England and Scotland, The siege of Dublin, whose walls held fast against King James II and the newest and perhaps most poignant... the first battlefield of the war on terrorism... Ground Zero from the 9/11 terror attacks.
On a more cheerful note, Chris found a set from a piece of television history, CSI:NY. when Det. Taylor returns to his home town of Chicago to try and solve the mystery of his Nemesis the notorious 333 killer. He visits the Tribune Tower following up on some evidence he found in New York....an impression of the Hagia Sophia, Constantinople from the wall of the Tribune Tower....of course Chris found it!!!!! Gary Sinise stood right here!!!!!! (mum and dad i know you don't care but Hannah!!! how cool is that)
So we continued on up Michigan Avenue which had now become the magnificent Mile.....Chicago's shopping district home to the posh....Chanel, Giorgio Armani and Polo Ralph Lauren; the departments....Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue (can you tell its origin is NYC!!!...Ma); the wired American Girl Place....a weird doll shop that spoilt little girls go to...like a giant fat barbie....but damn right scary dolls!!! The intention was to find Abercrombie and Fitch...we knew it was 800 and something....but we reach 900 and hadn't found it....hummm...we hadn't smelt it either weird. But our attention was diverted from A and F hunting by the discovery of the Hancock plaza and there standing high and mighty the Hancock Tower.
Anyway we had time to spare before returning to the Hancock tower for the evening so we departed Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile via Lake Shore Drive in favour of Lake Michigan. It was stunning, so clear as well, a real treat right on the edge of such a bustleing city
Continuing down the Lake walk, we headed for Navy Pier a top ten attration for those visiting Chicago so let have a look....first spot is the giant ferris wheel that sits on the pier, the rest of the pier becomes more apparent as you make you way closer to the pier. We passed swimmers in the lake, we were passed by cyclists and runners....a very health city....then some down right ugly sites....yes a hot day ment the Man Boobs were out in force....sweaty men thinking they are sexy....no put them away....that is Child abuse, all eclipsed however by a woman, she was not, ugly, she did not have her man-boobs or otherwise on disply...she did however appear to be having a baby without taking off her wetsuit. Either that or she was having a serious fight with a very poorly placed midget, both hands down the front of her wetsuit causing an unpleasant bulge to appear and disappear at random intervals. the most amazing sight we've seen on the trip yet...!!??!...wierd!
Anyway back to the day, we made it to Navy Pier
Chris had made a spot early in the day of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. from Forrest Gump??!! And there it was at Navy Pier...Signs on the tables read 'run forrest run' and 'stop forrst stop' for the waiters...clever it saves you having to politly catch the eye of the waiter and all that. We strolled up Dock Street passing themed boat tours, Ice cream vendors, the tubular donut things...yummy. And we reached the end and we took a look back at the city... wow, despite the ever growing haze gatering, the photos still show, but can't quite capture, the absolutly stunning view.
We were now feeling the need to shop.....so it was back to the Moose hunt (A and F moose that is!!!) We made it back to Magnificant Mile noses ready and eyes peeled....then a thought came to us....could it be inside The Water Tower Palace Mall??!! Yes...Yes..it was, passing some preety impressive water features the Directory point us to the Sixth floor.....Abercrombie and Fitch....Yeah!! Having spent a tiny fortune between us we were happy...but had now missed our identified dinner slot...oh well!!
To the observtory for the sunset then....two in one day...not bad eh?? Up 93 floors we went...in 40 seconds.....and once again, views were amazing. We stayed for about an hour watching the sun go down an the lights go on, as usual the city became more beautiful as time went on; the grid pattern more ovious and Lake Michigan stunning.
Having lost the light were now peckish again; determined not to pay the ridulous prices of the cafe in the observatory (which was poorly stocked anyway) we decended to ground level again and off for dinner.
Our resturant of choice to night was The Grill, part of the Westin Hotel a posh looking but reasonly priced resturant. We were waited on by a lovely waitress, Chicken strips and Shoestring potatoes (realy thin french fries that is) for Chris, and Chicken and Alice hair (really thin spaggetti) for Kate. Plus some rather good bread!!! Suitable full we began our return to the hotel, Chris now wanting to collapse....On arrival at our room we found some towel art in the bath room, while all our toiletries had been neatly arranged on a towel....cool!! The double CSI:NY finished the day nicely and with that we collapsed....totally in love with Chicago.
The adventures of Mongo and the Boy, written and experienced by
Kate 'I know where to see a good sunset from' Davies
and
Chris 'I saw it on the telly that makes it awesome' Davies.
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