Chicago: Monday & Tuesday

Monday

It's another beautiful, warm day in Chicago.  Time to head downtown, do some sightseeing and shopping and get something to eat.  There's a subway station nearby (about 4 blocks), so I head there and catch a Red Line train to the 'Loop'.  The Marshall Fields store (now owned by Macy's) is near to the subway exit and I make my way there 'cause I can kill two birds with one stone: food and shopping.  Food comes first: meatloaf with carrots and broccoli (and a coffee).  The Frango store beckons; do I get my Mint Chocolate flavored coffee now or later?  I've several days in Chicago so I leave it till later in the week.  Mens furnishings come next; why is clothing 50% more expensive in the UK?  I find what I'm after and then head out of the store to Millenium Park.

One thing I love about Chicago is the plethora of fountains.  The Crown Fountain was my first stop.  As it was Columbus Day, there were many people around and the kids (and not a few adults) just loved splashing around in the cool waters.

I walk past the Art Institute of Chicago, with its two lions standing guard outside before finding another fountain tucked away:

Bald eagles!  Not real ones but the basis for a couple of small fountains:

A couple of blocks down from the first eagle, there is a small demonstration taking place:

I couldn't quite figure out what they were protesting about because, for all their passion,they were being drowned out by some road work on the other side of the Michigan Avenue!  Three police officers (on pedal bikes) were keeping an eye on them, but they didn't seem particularly concerned by what was going on.

I caught the tail end of a concert taking place in Grant Park before finding Buckingham Fountain:

I head back to Ron's feeling happy but hungry.  After a short discussion about where to eat we head for Bar Louie at the old Dearborn Station.  Fish and 'chips' and a Newcastle Brown make me feel, almost, at home.  The 'chips' turn out to be French Fries which, although they were quite tasty, did not match up to what I get back home.  The beer was ice cold and I asked the waiter if they had any which was at room temperature - the type of question which goes down like a lead balloon.

Tuesday

 What's with the weather?  Another warm, sunny day in Chicago makes me feel like heading home to the cold and the wet - I can't stand it!

Time to go visit 'Big John' - aka The John Hancock Tower - and see Chicago from up on high.  It's not the clearest of days but the views are still phenomenal:

I call in at the North Face store below the tower 'cause I need some pants.  Can I find a pair of pants size 30x30 - NO!  The assisstant informs me that they only stock the sizes that I can see and I'd have to order on-line if I wanted my size.  Another lost sale!

I head south along the 'Magnificent Mile' looking for an AT&T store.  I find one eventually but it's on Chicago Avenue.  I'd actually walked past it earlier in the day.  Yes, they can offer me a pre-paid sim card - unlimited talk and text but NO data.  Another lost sale!

There's another outdoor wear store: Columbia.  Will they have something in my size?  They do!!!  However, it's not to my liking.  I see some pants I do like but there's none in my size.  I ask the assisstant, who goes into the back of the store and comes back with a pair sized 30x30 - YIPEEEEEE.  Not only do I get something I like in my size, they're 30% cheaper than back home.

On the way down the Magnificent Mile I pass a store where the windows are covered in post-it notes:

It's the Apple store and the notes are all tributes to Steve Jobs.

I head home and arrive just before Ron.  The plan for the evening is to eat and then head to the church mid-week meeting up near Lincoln Park.  We find a restaurant and I order panakes with a banana topping.  How easy it is to forget how huge American portions are!

Ron shares that he feels that the staff in the restaurant don't like his presence, which is rather surprising considering that they are not exactly American themselves.

Steve Staten does a great talk on how to be aware of, and how to overcome, the Devil's schemes.  On the way back to Ron's we listen to Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms - a great piece of music to end the day.