Anyone home?

Well Caroline has buggered off to Washington DC for three weeks to do some project work, leaving me in her house all alone.

But don't worry about me. I am now super proficient at catching at least 2 Chicago buses (ie the one I get to work and the one I get home again); but it's the neighbourhood here that impresses me the most.

I'm living in a place called Lakeview, in the heart of Chicago's celebrated Gay District. If the rainbows on lamposts didn't give it away, the fact that Lakeview has Chicago's grooviest restaurants, coffee shops and clothing stores should certainly tip you off.

The street I'm living on is one block up from Lake Michigan. Incidentally, because the Lake freezes in winter, all the boats from the marina sailed through the city down the Chicago River today. All the City's bridges were raised simultaneously to let them through. Pissed off the traffic no end, but delighted the pedestrians and office workers.

I'm a 15 minute bus ride into the City (peak hour), which is absolutely NOTHING. Sure I have to stand for most of the journey but, with the Lake as my view for most of the commute, who cares?