Yet more Chicago

Did I mention that we were staying next door to a brewery in Chicago? Not sure how that happened but Mags chose the apartment. It’s actually a bar/restaurant called Rock Bottom. They brew six types of beer there. Definitely worth a visit - on State and Grand.

In a lame attempt to burn off some of the calories we’ve been consuming we decided to walk upto Lincoln Park. The weather was cold but we came prepared with our Andes mountaineering gear so we got dressed - 4 layers, NASA engineered wind proof rain coat, boots, rope and tackle – and headed off. We just happened to choose the windiest day of our stay which had the effect of reducing the temperature another 10 degrees with the wind chill factor. Our clothes kept us relatively warm but we had to pick axe our way up the street, leaning horizontally into the wind. Still, we made it in the end and, surprise, surprise Cilla, we had the park all to ourselves.

We had a quick look at the zoo, but with blue lips, numb ears and purple noses we looked more like exhibits rather than visitors. The tiger wasn’t looking too impressed with the weather either and he convinced us to abandon our walk and we headed off to a nearby hostelry for a reviving drink.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in a nice, warm cinema watching the next film that was on. Luckily, it happened to be a really good choice as we saw Running with Scissors. A quirky drama starring Annette Benning, Brian Cox, and Alec Baldwin.

On our last night we met up with Rob again together with Paula, Richard, and Michael. We started in Yak-zies on Clark, famous for its hot chicken wings which we washed down with a few jars of ale. Rob, Mags and I then kicked on to a blues club to catch some live music. We were asked for our ID on the way in to prove that we were 21 or over which amused us no end. Mags and I weren’t carrying any ID but we managed to convince the door man nevertheless, and he let us in. The band was brilliant and had Mags dancing in the aisles. They performed a few blues numbers but it was mostly soul. Things are a bit of a blur after that. A few hours and many Jack Daniels later we managed to find our way back to the apartment. We left Rob who was threatening to kick on to an ‘authentic’ blues bar. We haven’t heard from him since.

It’s been 5 years since we were last in the States and, as you would expect, there have been a few changes, particularly in labour saving devices. In the toilets, or restrooms as they are called here (just full of people taking it easy), all the urinals and taps are automatic. Not so flash, I hear you say, we’ve got those. But they also have automatic paper towel dispensers. Instead of pulling the paper or a handle, you just wave your hands in front of it and a new, clean towel is presented to you. Unfortunately, it can take a fair bit of manic waving to get it to work so, on balance, I’d say that you use more energy than you save – great novelty value though.

The Americans have also invented a new device to avoid walking anywhere. I don’t know what it is called but it looks like a pogo stick with a platform at the bottom that you stand on. It has an electric motor that moves the user around at walking pace – brilliant. The security people in the Millennium Park use them, floating around like extras from a star wars film. You’d think that one of the few plus points to that job would be the exercise, but no. They’re also used for ‘walking tours’ but with no walking involved. Perhaps in a few thousand years, if Darwin is right, Americans will lose there legs, having evolved to a point where they are not used anymore.

Oh, and one more ‘only in America’ story – TV adverts have now completely taken over their schedules, American TV is now more accurately described as adverts with occasional shows in breaks between adverts. Even BBC America has adverts - presumably, not to confuse the viewers too much. We were watching the TV the other day and they managed to squeeze two sets of commercials in before the opening titles had finished. You’d have to take two days off to watch ‘Gone with the wind’ on TV.

Now let’s not get too smug. America is generally a few years ahead of the rest if us, so all this will be coming our way before long.

We really enjoyed Chicago. It has a wonderful vibe, the people are really friendly, and the taxi drivers speak English. Onto New York next so we're expecting as few changes.

One last leaving message for the Chicago fire department - STOP MAKING SO MUCH **@#$£* NOISE!

Even more Chicago

Mags in the Millennium park.

On Tuesday we decided to take a little exercise and walk to the Planetarium, through Millennium Park, and along the lake the shore to the museum complex where there is the Field Museum, currently showing an exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts, the aquarium, and the planetarium.

We decided to try out the planetarium where we saw a show called time space which is an animated journey through space from big bang to a possible future in the year 3000. The screen covers the ceiling from the floor upwards giving a 360 view, and gives the effect of moving through space. The seats recline to near horizontal to provide a better view, and are all too comfortable. There’s a temptation to lean back, close your eyes, and catch 40 winks. We managed to resist, just, but one old chap to our left succumbed and was spark out after a few minutes and showed no sign of waking up even after the show finished. He’s probably still there.

In the evening we met up with Steve, Sandra, Rob and Mary Beth for dinner in a small restaurant called the Twin Anchors which specialises in ribs. We all had the ribs. Our only decision was which accompaniments to have. I copied Steve with the zesty sauce and zesty baked beans, nodding sagely as if I knew what zesty means. The meat was beautifully tender and just fell off the ribs. The beer flowed and we had a great time.

Yesterday, we headed off to “Second City”, a famous comedy club whose former players include Alan Alda, John Belushi, and Bill Murray. Our taxi journey over was a strange one. The driver was listening to a, only in America, right wing, religious radio show where a principal was describing why he had banned dancing at his school as it was too sexually suggestive. The driver asked us what the morality of teenagers was like in the UK (as if we’d know). We told him that it was desperate, evil place and under no circumstances should he visit. Anyway, at the theatre we saw a show called “War” which was brilliant – taking the piss out of American life generally, and of course the Iraq war, with special distain for Bush and Rumsfeld. Great stuff. We had a table to the front and left of the stage where our waitress kept bringing us drinks throughout the performance. Just fantastic. I’m not sure how we’re going to cope when we leave Chicago and have to start doing things for ourselves again.

More Chicago

This is the view along Michigan Avenue with the Chicago Institute of Art in the hidden behind the trees to the right. I spent a couple of hours there yesterday wandering around their impressionist collection. Lots of Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Seurat etc. Very enjoyable. You’re allowed to take pictures of the exhibits as long as you don’t use a flash. A good way to save a few million. Just print them out and stick them on your walls.

On arrival, we were a little apprehensive about the weather, as we both hadn’t been here this late in the year. We were bathed in sunshine on our first couple of days with 17 degrees, wearing short sleeve shirts, applying the sun cream, and wondering what all the fuss is about. Day 3 was slightly different though. The temperature dropped 15 degrees, a storm arrived, and we had driving rain, and wind that was knocking people down on the pavement (sidewalk).

We’d arranged to see a play at the Shakespeare theatre with Rob in the evening and, although it was only a 20 minute stroll away, walking was out of the question. We stood outside our apartment trying forlornly to wave a cab down while Mags was doing the ramba with her umbrella. Some things are the same all over the world – all the cabs disappear once it starts raining. Anyway, we finally found one and made it to our destination safely. On arrival wile we were mobbed by a crowd of people jockeying for our taxi. One lady actually jumped in while we were still inside paying.

Rob arrived 20 minutes later soaked through as he did walk having failed to find a cab – but he’s from Yorkshire so he’s used to it.

They play we saw was Two noble kinsmen, a play which Shakespeare collaborated on with another playwright, John Fletcher, towards the end of Shakespeare’s life. None of us had seen it before so we had no idea how it would end. Anyway, the acing was terrific and we had a great night.

I received my Australian visa by email yesterday after completing the all new, on-line, comedy application form. There’s a laundry list of questions to answer such as.

Are you a terrorist?

Are you a danger to Australia?

Can you play cricket?

Do you know what it is yet?

And my personal favourite – Is there any other reason why you shouldn’t be admitted to Australia?

All this extra security obviously costs a bit as a visa now sets you back seventy quid. Ouch! 

Normandy and Chicago

Here we are in Chicago, which I discovered yesterday originally meant “Onion Swamp” – nice.

Our holiday, or is that sabbatical, really started last weekend when we spent the weekend in Normandy with our friends Peter and Mary who have a quarter share of an old, ram shackled house in the pretty small town of Montreuil, about an hours drive from Calais. Pronounced like Montroy but with a dodgy French accent. Well, it is by me anyway.

We traveled with our friends Peter and Kate Chadwick. No relation, or none that we know of anyway. They kindly drove us there via the chunnel. It was our first time in a car through the tunnel – isn’t it strange driving onto a train?

The town is completely walled, sitting perched high on a hillside, originally built in the 9th and 10th centuries to keep the English out. But hah, we’re taking it over now. Shortly after arriving we walked around the walls. There is a good, solid path to navigate, but, as the French don’t really do safety, there are no railings. So if you wander too close to the edge, and fall off, its curtains as there is a 100ft sheer drop to the bottom. This is a little disconcerting as the locals appear to be oblivious to this danger with children running around unchecked. Still, we managed to make it round without losing anyone.

On Saturday evening we went to a beautiful Michelin starred restaurant just outside the town. We had a terrific time being generally loud and English. The food was terrific and the service surly – hard to beat. The sommelier nearly cried when we didn’t go with one of his recommendations and our waiter nearly had a fit when we insisted on having the cheese course after the dessert. I think we must have been getting a tad rowdy as the evening progressed because we were ushered into a private ‘coffee’ room at the earliest opportunity. A few Armagnacs later and we returned to Chateau Kirby to continue our celebrations with a few parlour games around the kitchen table.

The highlight of the weekend came on Sunday which started tentatively, but inevitably early, once Peter and Mary’s two children, Daniel and Ruth had woken up. We were blessed all weekend with beautiful sunny weather and decided to head off to the coast, a short drive away. We had a restorative lunch in a very busy, friendly and informal café right on the beach. The establishment specialised in Moules frites which I think we nearly all went for. I had Moules au curry. Yes, I was that hung over.

A few beers later, and we all felt a bit more lively and decided to have a quick game of beach cricket. It was Chadwicks versus the rest with yours truly nominated captain and proudly leading out the troops onto the ‘sand’ of play. We managed to bowl out the Kirby clan for a paltry 21, and then knocked off the runs in style to emerge victorious. Mags reluctantly went into bat at number 3, and was doing really well with her impression of Inzimam ul haq. (She had decided that she wouldn’t run – something about shoes and sand. That’s girls for you.) Anyway, she probably would have had about 10 runs or so (if she’d been running) when she was gloriously dismissed for nought, hit wicket. Now this wasn’t just stepping slightly too far back in the crease and dislodging the bails, but a full blooded square cut that demolished all three stumps, with one ending up at extra cover. Mags just stared at the ground momentarily and then burst into uncontrollable giggles followed by the rest of us - with the French looking on, bemused.

Anyway, back to Chicago. After the indulgence of France, it feels good to be in a country where the majority of residents make you feel slim. We’re also trying to come to terms with the fast, efficient, and friendly service that we’ve received so far – very suspect.

Like the typical tourists we are, we headed straight for Navy pier on our first day and embarked on the first cruise boat departing for the architecture tour.

This is a very gentle cruise up the Chicago river taking in the numerous skyscrapers accompanied by a very knowledgeable and fast on board commentary. Indeed, our host spoke so quickly that us non locals had a hard job keeping up. The ever present Japanese tourists had no chance but at least they appeared to find it amusing in places.

Anyway, he did a great job informing us of the important architects, their influences, styles and the types of buildings together with the history of how Chicago has developed over the years. Really good stuff and well worth it.

I think today we’re meant to be shopping but Mags is determined to overcome any lingering jet lag and so far is showing no signs of surfacing. (Its 9a.m. local time)

Au revoir.