Chicago is Beautiful!
Originally uploaded by .Ashkan.
Do you know that I've been in Chicago for just over a year and yet I haven't been through a single museum in its entirety? I've been to the Shedd Aquarium, but I think even the Shedd would agree that it's not, in the traditional sense, a museum. I've been to the Field Museum of course, but I've only gone in as far as I needed to in order to go through the fabulous King Tut exhibit.
I came to this realisation today when I walked everywhere around Chicago with my friend Celine, originally from Paris but now living in Brussels. Celine came to Chicago just for the afternoon on a break from a staff training exercise up in Milwaukee. The weather was absolutely ideal for a walking tour of this beautiful (and allegedly) Windy City.
We started with a walk from Union Station to Millennium Park, stopping for lunch at the lovely Park Cafe. I saw a naked woman in the toilets, whose decision to change outfits publicly by the sinks rather than in the privacy of the cubicles took me, and other restaurant patrons, by some suprise I'm sure. But this is Chicago and one condition of living here is that nothing phases you.
So Celine and I moved on down Michigan Avenue towards the shopping mecca that is the Magnificent Mile. We detoured down Illinois St and walked all the way around the perimeter of Navy Pier, pausing to admire the beautiful view of the city skyline - I had never appreciated it from there before.
Then we got some shoes for Celine and went through Nieman Marcus (another first for me), and then up to the John Hancock Tower's Signature Room for a few cocktails with Jennifer. The view from the 96th Floor of the Hancock never disappoints and Celine got some great photos - even the wobbly ones as she tried out her camera's night vision goggles.
A quick cab ride got Celine back to Union Station well in time for her train to Milwaukee, and I assured her that she'd be able to sleep on the train cause Milwaukee was the end of the line. I did remind her to call me if by some chance they change the train route and she does, in fact, wake up in Canada or something. So far, not a word.
2 comments:
Is Celine calling just to tell you about the route change or are you planning to help her if she's deviated from her path? Glad you had fun with Celine and managed to find time for shoes - there should always be enough time for shoe shopping but you never can be sure.
Am so pleased my girls were able to catch up over there. I have just got back from a week in London with friends and thought of you both several times. I plan to be back to Chicago some time next year and I fully expect you in that time to have found the most ridiculous museum in the city for us to go and enjoy.
PS: I like the French comments which I seem to have now ;)
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