Finally went downtown! All by myself...in the gorgeous city that's Chicago! It's a whole new experience figuring out things on my own! Coming from a superbly protective family, and a darling dad who says "Be more independent" and then makes all the boulders on your pathway vanish without telling you, I never thought I would be actually roaming about another continent all by myself someday!
So I took a train from the Mettawa station (First thing I did was blow up a lot of money going to the wrong station! The ONLY time I've been taken for a ride here...happened to be one of the 2 Indian Cabbies I met! Though the other was a gem of a man!). Anyhow...a far cry from the trains in Mumbai...I travelled sitting down, in an extremely clean and air conditioned compartment, surrounded by the old and young, watching the greenery roll past me as the train sped to Chicago.
Once I reached town, I decided to get more adventurous and figure out the bus routes (something I've never done even in my own city, leaving apart the DU days...besides, cabs are WAY too expensive here :D).
And so ... it was My Day Out in Chicago ... with gorgeous skyscrapers...REALLY cute kids...fairly cute men (yeah...finally saw them :D) and a spring in my step. Went about like a tourist...with a massive camera hung around my neck (dropped the camera idea next day...way easier and more enjoyable to walk without it).
It was a perfect day...went for a tour...sped to the 94th floor of a skyscraper to get a 360 degree view of Chicago...visited the "Giant Bean" at the Millenium Park...and got back home...dog tired...but crazily happy.
Next day was even better! Architectural tours don't give you a view of the skyline and a feel of the city...as much as the grassy slopes outside the Planetarium do!
It is a beautiful green stretch between the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium...at the bank of River Michigan...directly in front of the Chicago skyline...It is one of the most heavenly experiences I've ever had! With the cool wind (ya..not breeze) blowing gently across your face...the grass all green and spongy beneath you...the crystal clear blue waters in front of you...awesome white speedboats cutting through the water with all their might...and then...the skyline... you have to be there to believe it...
Everything was wonderful...and I never thought 24 days staright away from home would be alright (IIFT being the ONLY exception to the rule!)...but I'm in love with this place...with my cooking (Ya...got my count of burnt (literally to charcoal) dishes upto three today)...pity I'm leaving soon...I hear Buffalo isn't half as safe as this town (and Chicago has a shootout a day!)...
Well...time for a new city...a new adventure...and a Looooong overdue reunion with one of my Best Friends in New York over one of the weekends!
Hope to see you again Chicago...
2 comments:
Madam, you are banned from any more glorification of foreign lands..You know that there are poor Indians reading this, with mouth wide open, wondering when we would experience all this..So, many regretrs to go on...
HAHAHAHAHAHA *Evil Laughter* ...Just kidding :D ... I can't not write ... Bear with me for a few more days ... Better still quit reading till August :D
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