I spy with my little eye

Sears Tower!
Originally uploaded by radiant star.

Chicago is a city of endless surprises.

Sometimes the surprise is a person whose kindness takes me aback; and sometimes it's a building that makes me gasp when I round the corner.

This afternoon, I experienced both - and it turned my rather average week right around.

I had been having a rather ordinary, not to mention busy day, and was sitting in my boss's office going through the diary with him.

My boss mentioned that his wife was taking their Melbourne visitors up to the Sears Tower this afternoon, and I was invited along.

It was less of an invitation, and more of a statement. Was I supposed to accept or, because I was technically still at work, do I politely decline? I knew it could be a potentially destructive career move to accept too quickly, so I sort of grimaced and half smiled. An unflattering expression for what was an awkward moment.

But as if reading my thoughts, my boss jumped in and told me it was non-negotiable, and I shouldn't argue with his wife. And within 5 minutes, I had my jacket on and was being ushered out the door.

So there I was, joining a tour group ably trudging down North Wacker Avenue with my boss's wife. Our destination - the tallest building in North America. In fact, the Sears Tower would have been the biggest building in the world had it not been for the pesky Hong Kong towers, and that eyesore in Taipei or wherever.

And 103 floors up, I went around the Sears Tower Skydeck, reading every word on the display boards. They were actually quite interesting, and I never realised just how many accomplished writers, musicians, actors and athletes hailed from Chicago. Fascinating stuff.

And though it was cold here today, the sky was clear, so we could see everything. You can see 4 states from the top of the Sears Tower: Illinois (naturally); Michigan; Indiana; and Wisconsin. Not bad.

But the thing that I loved the most was the mass of buildings. I had to wonder just how much empty office space there is out there? Surely not every building can be fully occupied?

This little tourist has just begun....