Monday - Two plane journeys later and I had arrived in the Windy City! O'Hare airport must be the most complicated complex I have ever been in so once I'd managed to find the exit and thereafter make my way to the train station, I waited for a certain individual...
After being reunited with this girl here (more or less 5 months is too long!) we made sure Chicago would be ready for us. We took the train from the airport to our hotel managing to walk around in circles in the process and lose all feeling in my fingers. We braved the cold once more in order to find food and go to the cinema. You must see Saving Mr Banks - a brilliant, emotional movie. Leaving the cinema at half ten, the temperature had dropped to minus 17 degrees Celsius. I thought I was going to die. No normal human being should be living in a place that gets this cold, it's just cruel.
Tuesday - Get up early, we said. Set an alarm for 9am we said. 10.45am is when I finally surfaced for the day, ready for a grand adventure. First, we went to the Willis Tower and the famous Skydeck. 100+ floors later and a lift that makes your ears pop, I finally witnessed amazing views.
For someone who isn't all that keen on heights, I found this to be scary!! But not too scary that I couldn't sit and have my photo taken!!
Next, we went to the German Christmas Market to have a look around.
I got myself some hot mulled wine (so sweet and delicious and Christmassy). The guy behind the counter was clearly expecting me to be caught out when I ordered so he was all 'ID?' and I was all 'BAM'. Abi, not yet being 21 - must not laugh even if I find it a tiny bit funny - could not get the mulled cider she very clearly wanted and had to settle on hot chocolate. I gave her a bit of my wine as I am obviously a kind hearted human being (okay fine, but it's Christmas...) Naturally it all went straight to my head and when we found a Nativity scene and Abi asked who 'those random people were', I broke out in hysterical laughter. It appears the shepherds, the Wise Men and Joseph are all absent in her version of Christmas. I got to keep the mug as a souvenir!
Next we went to look around the Macy's store and I found a Topshop and all was right on my Christmas Eve. We then walked to the John Hancock Tower. I preferred the views from this one.
I took lots of photos but here is just one. Lake Michigan was all icy! You could also see Navy Pier.
Finally, we finished the evening by going to the Rainforest Café. Abi had never been (not even to the Piccadilly Circus one!!) so I felt like she needed to go.
I found it funny that she was freaked out by my medium cooked burger (her crazy meat cooking rules) and the server asked us if we were from Ireland. This morning we were asked if we are Australian - at least this was a bit closer to home!
We sat next to the fish!!
We were the oldest people in there (excluding parents) but I just think it is SO COOL although when the 'thunder storm' happens in the middle of eating, it is hard to see your food! I was MADE TO STAY UP UNTIL MIDNIGHT - I didn't have a choice - to, in the words of Abi, 'see in Christmas'. Here, she suddenly asked 'who is going to bring in the new year?' My confusion was coupled with 'thanks you bastard, I was going to celebrate it with you' but it turns out her family brings in the new year with a tradition called 'the first footing'. Felt like I'd gone back in time - if you don't know what it is, Google it but she was confused I didn't do it and I was confused that anyone did it at all. You learn something new every day.
Wednesday - Woke up to a white Christmas (proving that they do not just happen in the movies!) We started with the morning skype conversations to family before going on a morning walk.
The morning walk saw a very frozen Michigan Lake.
Morning walk selfie!
We eventually reached Millenium Park, and saw the Bean.
So arty because I'm such a cool individual.
I didn't wish to do this because I knew I'd look like an idiot but Abi wasn't taking no for an answer so note my grimace.
We also went ice-skating in the park. The people who worked there were a bit funny about people taking pictures on the ice so we didn't want to risk it, so here is a photo of me post ice-skating!
I've finally had a Dunkin' Donut now - as we needed warming up after ice-skating with coffee (and food!) - and it was rather yummy! We returned to the Hotel for an hour or so because we had time to kill before dinner. This way, we walked to the restaurant. And walk to the restaurant we did...35 minutes, in the snow...and Abi insisted we walk back; except I sorted of trudged myself back instead. Dinner was really good! They brought me the wrong food to the table to begin with and were all lovely and apologetic. Abi said 'so your line at British politeness no I'll just eat it anyway is drawn at ribs?' Yes. I hate ribs. Don't bring me ribs. Anyway, the rather dishy manager brought my food over this time, he asked if I needed anything else and part of me wished I had any form of confidence so I could have simply replied 'yes, your phone number!' Alas, I am not.
Thursday - The walking continues. Note to Abi's future boyfriend/husband - you had better be energetic because unless it's the tube in London, this girl has no interest in public transport!!
First, a quick visit to Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears! They may not be my team, but mum wanted a picture as it is hers!
We went to the Planetarium - I've never been a student of the sciences but physics was my favourite out of the three, probably because space is included in this section (no-one can take that A* from this module away from me!) We got to watch a show in which we toured the stars and it was visually stunning. Abi had no idea that there were so many planets out there among the stars. Hey, who knows, somewhere out there, there could be a parallel universe in which I'm married to Tom Hiddleston!
In the evening, we went to dinner at an Italian Restaurant where they basically just give you the indoor equivalent to an Oyster card in which you go to the correctly labelled stations, scan your card and they cook your food for you!
Theatre ready!
Afterwards, we went to see 'A Christmas Carol'. It was great apart from the TERRIFYING GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE! It suddenly appeared, this tall hooded figure - Abi screamed...which took away from the next 5 minutes as I was too busy chuckling to myself! The show was really good as were the English accents even if they did say 'potatoes' really weirdly.
Just ending the day on this picture because I have no words for it either...
Thursday - We rose bright and early(ish) in order to see the new Hobbit movie. I'd seen it before with. Katelyn but didn't mind seeing it again. If you have Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Aiden Turner and the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch in one movie, I'm obviously not going to say no to watching it again!
We then walked (are we surprised? I'm actually hoping to lose weight this week) to Navy Pier which had great views when you stood at the very end (it didn't beat Brighton pier however!)
All this walking has been worth it to enjoy a guilt free slice of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory (FINALLY!) I chose my favourite flavour in the whole world, white chocolate and raspberry. Unfortunately it came with cream on top...so I soon scraped that off and gave it to Abi!
Saturday - Today we visited the Lincoln Park area. First, we visited the Chicago Museum. One of my courses this term focused on the 1910s and 20, and a lot happened in the city during this period so to see it in one museum was cool.
Dressing up by the suffragette section of the museum...well, I wasn't going to just stand there was I?
We then had a walk through Lincoln Park in which a game of 'spot the statue' begun. The only ones I recognised however, were Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin! It was also time for the zoo!! And there was a POLAR BEAR which...is part fascinating and part cruel for being kept in a zoo where, although the weather in Chicago is cold, it's not quite arctic conditions!
Although wolves are my favourite animals, I have a soft spot for meerkats and giraffes...but here is a bowl of meerkats for your viewing pleasure!
Afterwards, we went for a final walk downtown as we are unfortunately, not heading in that direction again. There were obviously many people...it was a Saturday after all.
This evening we had Indian food...INDIAN FOOD! A rarity down South, I couldn't leave the North without having it at least once!
Sunday - Our last day in Chicago. The temperature has dropped again so we saved the inside activities until last. We went to Shedd Aquarium which was very cool, my favourite HAS to be the beluga whales - the cutest creatures ever! I really wished we had more time here so I can swim with them...but perhaps I will come back in the future (or so I wish to!) We also attended an aquatic show in which the dolphins and beluga whales did tricks! I had to buy a postcard of the whales because they were adorable (I thought, at 21, I was too old for a stuffed toy even if IT WAS ADORABLE!)
Then, we went to the Field Museum - it was a very big Natural History museum! I like how well the museum was done; it just looked cool and was very easy to follow rather than getting lost. We also saw a 3D show about a t-Rex dinosaur; Sue as she was so named!
We headed back to the hotel for one last time to pack and check into our flight for tomorrow.
So, this week is over and looking back, it has been brilliant. I've done so much, seen so much and have certainly been made to walk so much!! Chicago is a great city. I wasn't expecting the people to be quite so friendly! However, Christmas break isn't over yet and another place lies just around the corner...Massachusetts here we come!
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