Touring Chicago
Driving into Chicago is like diving straight into a sea of steel. It’d been awhile since I’d been to the Windy City, but B and I had good reason to make a weekend trip.
It’s still surprising when proof of our parallel Midwest roots pops up. It’s not shocking for two Michiganders to both have experienced Chicago before; but for as much as I associate Ben and Michigan with home, I still associate Ben and adventuring with the Northeast. I can’t tell you the amount of times one of us pointed out a touristy sight just to hear in return “yeah, I know, I’ve been there.”
None the less, we are still tourists when it comes to the vastness of Chicago, as obvious by our Saturday plans. The first thing we did was to ogle the city from the 94th floor of the John Hancock building. Seeing the lake to the right and the city gradually shrink into the Great Plains to the left vs. NYC’s BUILDING!BUILDING!BUILDING! overdose makes Chicago feel more connective and welcoming to me.
In the afternoon we walked to Navy Pier, went to pick up my race packet, and on to the Shedd Aquarium. Poor timing with spring break meant our wait to get in was close to two hours, so we got a Chicago style hot dog (for him) and a Polish sausage (for moi) and stuck it out.
Why wait two hours in the wind? Dolphins! Belugas! Sea otters! Penguins! The best part was watching the beluga whales circling their tank to come coasting belly out slowly against the glass; their lumpy, dented white flesh gliding past us in slow motion. Beautiful. Besides that, I ran around to the tanks of every cute thing expressing my love with shrieks like the rest of the aquarium goers under 7. I just can’t help myself sometimes.
We scored two tickets to the dolphin and beluga show from a kid our age who had bought them but had to leave early. Did you know dolphins like having their tongues tickled? Please with the cuteness, world.
It had been an eventful day on my feet, so we opted for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory across from our hotel. I would have preferred to venture to somewhere else, but in this case convenience—and roasted garlic farfalle with peas, chicken and pancetta—won. It won a little bit less when I ate it cold after my race the next day. It did not, however, make my breath on the car ride home win at all.
Our Saturday activities were but a scratch on the surface of everything Chicago has to offer, but we packed in a good lot. And at least the next time we go back, we’ll both remember the other has been there before.
It’s still surprising when proof of our parallel Midwest roots pops up. It’s not shocking for two Michiganders to both have experienced Chicago before; but for as much as I associate Ben and Michigan with home, I still associate Ben and adventuring with the Northeast. I can’t tell you the amount of times one of us pointed out a touristy sight just to hear in return “yeah, I know, I’ve been there.”
None the less, we are still tourists when it comes to the vastness of Chicago, as obvious by our Saturday plans. The first thing we did was to ogle the city from the 94th floor of the John Hancock building. Seeing the lake to the right and the city gradually shrink into the Great Plains to the left vs. NYC’s BUILDING!BUILDING!BUILDING! overdose makes Chicago feel more connective and welcoming to me.
In the afternoon we walked to Navy Pier, went to pick up my race packet, and on to the Shedd Aquarium. Poor timing with spring break meant our wait to get in was close to two hours, so we got a Chicago style hot dog (for him) and a Polish sausage (for moi) and stuck it out.
Why wait two hours in the wind? Dolphins! Belugas! Sea otters! Penguins! The best part was watching the beluga whales circling their tank to come coasting belly out slowly against the glass; their lumpy, dented white flesh gliding past us in slow motion. Beautiful. Besides that, I ran around to the tanks of every cute thing expressing my love with shrieks like the rest of the aquarium goers under 7. I just can’t help myself sometimes.
We scored two tickets to the dolphin and beluga show from a kid our age who had bought them but had to leave early. Did you know dolphins like having their tongues tickled? Please with the cuteness, world.
It had been an eventful day on my feet, so we opted for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory across from our hotel. I would have preferred to venture to somewhere else, but in this case convenience—and roasted garlic farfalle with peas, chicken and pancetta—won. It won a little bit less when I ate it cold after my race the next day. It did not, however, make my breath on the car ride home win at all.
Our Saturday activities were but a scratch on the surface of everything Chicago has to offer, but we packed in a good lot. And at least the next time we go back, we’ll both remember the other has been there before.