Day Two in Chicago

Friday 5 October

It is hard to believe that it is Friday already and that we are about to leave Chicago. Tomorrow is an early start with our bags outside our rooms by 6.30 am for a 7.30 depart.

As another day comes to an end there is reflecting of what we have seen and experienced today. This morning was a couple of hours being driven around the city and sites by coach. When we completed the tour we were dropped off on the Chicago River where we motored up the river under many of the numerous bridges that join sections of the centre of the city divided by the river.

Cruising the Chicago River.... but it was freezing sitting out the back!

Even the bear enjoyed going through the lock.

 Then it was through the lock system for a cruise up and down the shoreline of Lake Michigan. What a great view of the many sky scrapers which make up the skyline of Chicago but the really cold weather made it more uncomfortable than what we had been expecting. However the trees are all turning into the colours of autumn which is a good indication that winter is not too far away in this part of the world.

Graham and Shirley investigated the overhead rail system.

On return to the dock the party split up with Graham and Shirley leaving us to investigate the overhead rail loop system. The rest of the group (via a detour because no one had a map or really knew which direction to go) found their way the Sears Building which for a couple of decades (1973 – 1996) was the tallest building in the world.

You can see forever.

Making our way to the top we were able to walk around the building with views providing 360 degrees views of Chicago and surrounds (50 miles in any direction). Terry, Glen, Jeff and Anne also stepped out on the glass edge to get a closer view of the distance between the top which is 1,454 feet (and the elevator took a minute to reach!).

The glass ledge added another view of the city.

It was then a travel down to the ground and a walk to get back to the Essex Inn to meet up with an “Untouchable Gangster Tour” which started with a couple of shady characters picking us up in an old black and white painted old school bus.  We heard stories of Capone, Moran, Dillinger while visiting the south, east and north sides of Chicago.

Driving through gangster haunts of Chicago

Another full packed day and after dinner it was back to our rooms for an early night

I think everyone was impressed with Chicago, especially with the cleanliness of it (we saw road rage after a guy threw out a bottle and on the east side a guy picking up rubbish so can understand why it is clean and the pride people have for their city).  It was a slight contrast to what we had seen a couple of days before in San Francisco and two completely different cities.