American Diary Part 7 - CHICAGO Illinois

MAY 24th Happy Birthday MUM! Leaving the Toledo area we drove across I90 on the northern tip of Indiana state and into Illinois to arrive at Chicago around 12noon. We had to put our watches back on hour and gained some time, so before entering the city we stopped at the Baseball stadium for the Chicago white sox to buy tickets for the game tomorrow - should be fun!. Dan dropped us off in the hostel (not bad for $40 per night) and after dumping my bags I headed off alone to explore the city. One of my fave films (remember the bus ride to Boston) is Ferris Bueller's day Off. Set in this city, he plays truant from school and has fun in the city - including a baseball game and the Sears tower - I hope to do both although the city is different now than it was some 25 years ago, they have a new stadium for a start. I walked the street towards the start of Millenium Park and stopped for a Starbucks then wandered through the park which gies wonderful views of the skyline and has a few interesting sculptures to look at - the best is the BEAN or cloud city which is a mettalic bean shape as big as a house which reflects the city and you and twisted and wonderful ways. With the sun shining and the wind blowing warm across the city it was the perfect day for a walk. I continued through a lovely garden of lavender and down to the large waterfall then over the busy main shoreline road to see the marina of yachts and powerboats on Lake Michigan, then left along the shore path for 2 miles to the Navy Pier. This is an area of tacky attractions and fast food so not for me, instead I took a boat trip into the city along the Chicago river with a commentary on the buildings and architecture of this wonderful vertical city. The SEARS Tower is the tallest in the USA and after pizza with Nicole we walked in the fading daylight to the tower hoping for a night view of th city from the top floor only to find it closed due to hight wind. I will try again tomorrow. My other plan is to walk several miles to the John Hancock tower which also has fine views albeit from the 3rd highest tower in the city. Chicago is not what I expected from seeing Ferris Bueller and episodes of ER! The 'L' train runs around the loop of downtown and is a unique feature of the city, the streets are clean and friendly and the whole place has a nice atmosphere. I am saddened to think that our cities and towns in the UK are generally dirty, crowded and poorly maintained with miserable people and surly employees. I am loving the cities of America, and indeed the back roads!