On top of the world (2)

It’s Saturday when I decide to go to the top of Sears Tower, and the “skydeck” that we hear so much about. So I have breakfast in a restaurant along Michigan, and then walk the few blocks to Adams and along there to the tower. Being Sunday, down town is quiet and only a few hardy souls are out and about this morning. But the wind still makes its presence felt - the sign outside the Tower advertising the skydeck is being bent over by the strength of the wind!



This starts off as a hurry up to wait occasion - first we wait to get into lifts that take us down - yes down - to the first basement. Then we wait in line to but our tickets. Then we queue up to get into the lifts that will take us up to the 103rd floor. This observatory is totally enclosed, and with somewhat annoying music playing when I went. But it also has some interesting exhibits about the history of Chicago around in the middle.



This is not a totally clear day, and the horizon from up here is indistinct, but the view gives me a different perspective from being on the ground. Down there it feels very built up and crowded, but from up here there seem to be many open spaces and lots of green. And lots of water too - not just the mighty Lake Michigan, but also the jetties and waterways. I watch fascinated as a boat, one of the water taxis I assume, but looking like a small toy, moves along the river and under the bridges.



Further round and I watch a freeway intersection - all connected and crossing roads, and having a beauty, somehow, in its simple grace. All around you see sparkling new office buildings, and the incongruously, even among these, you can spot the occasional old building, often a church, still standing proud.



An interesting effect that we can see is the shadows of the occasional cloud passing by, making dappled dark and bright areas over the city.



While I’ve been here the deck has filled up more, and there is a really long queue to get the lift back down. As well as the normal collection of tourists, there are a number of young looking soldiers here, sightseeing with their parents on their last leave before departing for a tour of duty. Waiting in line does give me the opportunity to look at all the pictures that are here about Chicago history, and then eventually I get the lift back down to the basement. This leads us through the inevitable souvenir shop, before getting the stairs up to the ground floor, and out once more into the windy city.

Where are the sailors?

I’m on my way to Chicago’s famous Navy Pier, and the route from my hotel looks simple on the map - along Michigan, cross the Chicago River, and then a right to Grand, which leads to the pier. Indeed it probably would have been simple if I’d followed that route, instead of following my instincts and deciding that a walk along the bank of the River would be nicer. And it was a nice walk - just a long one, with a lot of turning back when I got to dead ends; eventually, even nice architecture and river views pail when your dogs are barking.


(Navy Pier entrance)

But I get there eventually, and there is a kiosk for the open top bus tour people - so I stop and get a pass for that, which comes with a free tee shirt and a book of discount vouchers. The shirt is interesting; I’d assumed that anything given away by a tour company would make me into a walking bill-board, or at least have their logo prominently displayed. In fact, these have a design of a building on the front, and on the back it says that this is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park - very nice!


(Looking back to land)

Having walked this far, I walk some more and out onto the pier itself. It is another blustery day, and before long the rain comes sweeping in and I take refuse inside. Here I try on my rain coat - and it’s not the most elegant thing I’ve ever worn, but it will keep me dry.


(A wet Navy Pier and Chicago Skyline)

Going further down the pier, I see a bus with a face looking at me; no, I'm not that mad, it is a promotion for toilet tissue, themed around being “kind to your behind”. They give out vouchers, but also invite you in to have a massage - although I’m not sure I totally see the connection, a free massage is not to be turned down, so I take them up on the offer.


(A “soft and comforting” bus)

Then on to the end of the pier, and a hazy view out across Lake Michigan. Out here, on this wet and windy early spring day it’s easy to believe that I’m really on my own out here, and my only companions are some nesting birds, who seem surprised to see a person way out here.


(At the end of the pier)

Back inside the buildings I get to peek into the grand “family pavilion”, closed at the time I visited, and to look round the many shops and exhibitions there are. It’s odd sometimes what you see where - and here there is an exhibition of stained glass, very pretty, but I don’t see the connection.


(Looking out to the lake)

You can get boat rides from the pier, and on a whim I get a ticket for the “skyline” tour - a short ride that just goes out into the lake to allow a different view of the Chicago Skyline. This is exciting - but very VERY windy, to the extent that I’m actually glad this is only a 30 minute cruise.


(on Lake Michigan)

I like Navy Pier, and go back a few times, but get the bus there and back for the rest of the occasions. I make a particular point of going back one evening to see the funfair lit up and working. It’s still off season, and so not that many people are about, but it’s exciting and I decide to ignore my fear of heights and go on the Ferris Wheel. This is an experience - it is in continual motion, and so you get on and sit down as it moves by - and then off you go up and out over the water. They tell me it takes 7 minutes - but the strange thing is it seems timeless - suddenly from the noise of the funfair you’re in the inky blackness of a windy Chicago night, with just the noise of the Wheel turning for company.


(The Ferris Wheel at night)

I like this sort of place - I think it’s the combination of water and land - the not quite knowing which this is part of. Navy Pier is certainly one of my favourites.

A City lives up to its reputation

I arrive at Chicago Union Station around mid-day, got my bags off the train, and eventually found my way out of the building - every place I go I have to try to work out the way their particular signage works, plus I don’t know the things that are obvious to a resident.

But soon I’m outside and quickly find out just why this is called “the windy city” - all the time I’m there it seems to be a gale force wind. It’s not far to my Hotel, but walking through a busy city at lunch time pulling a suitcase and carrying a backpack is not that easy. The first thing I see as I cross the Chicago River is one of the bridges opening to let a boat through, so I stop and watch like the tourist that I am.


(Chicago River traffic)

This allows me to stop and see how the buildings here are right on the river, and it’s an interesting contrast between the ultra modern office blocks, and the older, more solid bridge. But it’s too windy to stay here long - plus being annoying to those business people who want to get on with working - so I move on am soon walking into “the Loop” - that area of down town that is circled by the elevated railway. My Hotel is just the other side of the Loop on East Harrison, and I manage to find it without too many wrong turns. I book in and get a nice room on the 11th floor with a small kitchen and lots of space - and with a view across the street to a parking garage. The phone rings as I’m looking round, and it’s reception to ask if everything is OK - I say that I like the room, but have they got one with a view that is worth looking at? Seems not, but it IS a nice room, and at least I can see more than my New York Hotel!

After some food and a rest, I really want to try the elevated railway system - The EL - so go down to the station, get a ticket and join a train - by now it’s after 4 and the trains are crowded, so I need to stand, but this is fine actually as you get better views that way. I get off at Merchandise Mart to investigate this building, and the first shop I see is a kitchen goods store - so I go investigate!

After a while of browsing, I’m asked if I’m there for the cooking demonstration - I admit I’m not, but ask if it would be a good idea to go. It turns out the shop - along with them all in the Mall - is about to close to the public, but that they are opening to a special demonstration, as it’s the start of the “Artopolis Art Show” and tonight is the International Antiques Fair preview party - all the great and good are going to be here for the opening at 6pm, and a number of the stores are putting on special events. But not open for normal browsers like me!

Since I’m there, I start to walk along looking at the shop fronts, and notice that more and more people in formal ware are arriving all the time - guests for the opening I assume. There are areas where you need to show a guest pass to get in, but the main areas appear to be open to the public, so I carry on walking. Soon, I get to a very crowded area, where there is a drinks reception being held, I think it’d be really easy to just grab a drink from a passing waiter and join in - but my travel clothes do not seem to fit in well with the rest of the guests, so I decide to beat a retreat.

Back outside I trace my way back to the station I arrived at - but it’s an exit only, and I can’t get in that way. A friendly local tries to direct me to an entrance, but we do have some communication difficulties, as he is Chinese and I’m English! The entrance is actually back in the Mart building, so I go back the way I came. It’s started to rain, and I stop on the way back to the hotel and buy a rollup plastic rain coat - it’s way too windy for an umbrella, and way too wet not to have any protection from the rain.

So that’s enough for one day - found the hotel - used Mass Transit - got windswept and wet - and had a fantastic day!