Thursday morning we were up before the sun to get to Toronto Pearson Airport for our flight at 9am. All our flights (Toronto–Chicago, Chicago–New York, New York–Toronto) were booked using Qantas frequent flyer points, which meant flying American Airlines and going out of the International Airport instead of the one downtown.
An hour train and bus ride to the airport and then we checked in. It was our first trip using our new carry-on suitcases. Everything fit so neatly and came in below 10 kg. No need to check the luggage or wait at the other end for it to come out. What joy.
Had an irritating time at US border control (which you go through before you’ve left Canada). An older couple were served before us and went through without a problem. When Glen and I went up, the guy said, “You don’t look related.” Well, that’s because we’re not. Glen was less than pleased after that point which riled me a bit because I was trying to get through with a minimum amount of fuss and I don’t think arguing with US border control is a wise thing to do.
Anyway, twenty questions later and some grumbling because we didn’t have a physical return ticket on hand, despite having actually booked one. It’s 2013. Who carries their return ticket? Apparently they want to see it, or some evidence of it. Whatever. We got through. Going to explore a Nexus card and see if that speeds up this stupid, shitty process.
Small plane to Chicago. Glen and I had separate seats, which was just as well because we were near ready to murder each other by that point. Some time apart did us good. When we landed we got out of the airport pretty quick and went towards the trains. We’d decided that $40–$60 for a taxi was a bit excessive and so we risked the train.
At the station we lined up with everyone else to buy our tickets from the machines, only to find out that it wouldn’t accept credit cards (even though it’s got the slot for them). So we went to get cash out at an ATM. Then we went back to buy our $5 per person tickets. We only have $20 notes and the machines don’t give change. I went to a little shop, bought an orange juice, got change, came back and pressed the buttons on the machine. $10 was required and I’d get two tickets. I put in a $5 note and before I could put in the second, it processed my order and spat out two tickets. We saved $5. How wonderful.
Train ride took about an hour but we got to see a bit of rural Chicago. Got into the city and headed to the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. We collected a roomkey from reception and went up to the room. Tried to get in. It wouldn’t open despite the little light going green. We tried multiple times. Then the door opened from the inside. The cleaning lady was in there and couldn’t understand us so closed the door. We went back downstairs to say the door wouldn’t open and they sent us back up, saying security would be by shortly to assist us. We waited outside the room until security arrived and then he opened the door first go. We figured out that the cleaning lady must have locked the door from the inside, barring our entry. Anyway, we dumped our luggage and went out to find food.
We didn’t have to walk very far. We went to the Cheesecake Factory, which sells food other than cheesecake. The menu was about twenty pages long and full of so many different things that choosing one thing to eat was a stressful experience. But we settled on something eventually. Then we messaged Albert and he came and joined us.
After lunch the three of us walked down the Magnificent Mile, stopping briefly at the Chicago Tribune building so we could look at the bits of rock that jut out of the building. Beside each piece, the name of where it comes from is carved into the wall. So there was a bit from St Peter’s Basilica, Notre Dame in Paris etc. And we went into the lobby which was also impressive with its phrases chiseled into the stone.
We crossed the bridge and continued down, going into the cultural centre to check out the Tiffany dome, then over the road to Cloud Gate to look at ourselves in the reflective surface. There’s a certain part where you look at yourself and you look very squat and strange. Then further down the road, into the Art Institute gift shop then the garden behind the Art Institute. When we were here last year, it was winter and the trees were bare and the fountain turned off. This time, it was a beautiful day and the trees were covered in leaves. It was so pretty.
We then walked down the road to the Daphne statue. We saw it last year on a sculpture walking tour and the guide said that during the rest of the year it’s covered with green leafy vines and flowers. We were lucky this time because it was covered. Such a cool sculpture.
We then went to the Flamingo by Alexander Calder, then the Picasso and the Joan Miro sculptures too. I was amazed at how much I remembered from the tour last year and it was kind of cool to see it all again. But after the Picasso our feet were so worn out that we couldn’t wait to get home. Unfortunately that meant walking another two miles. Oh well.
In the evening we went for dinner at Alinea. This was Glen and my second visit but the first for Albert who was exceptionally excited. There was grass in the entry hallway this time and they seated us downstairs in the slightly smaller room, as opposed to last time when we were upstairs on the left. We recognised two of the waiters and one of them recognised Glen. I said that was because we were “that table” last time and he remembered Glen playing with the table decorations. It made for a nice convivial atmosphere.
I enjoyed the food more the second time around, the flavours suited me better. A couple of the staples were there like the apple helium balloon, hot potato cold potato and the five pieces of ginger. Oh, and the sixty condiments but this time with duck instead of fish/pork. The final dessert was even more impressive this time and I ate way too much of it. Sugar overload. Also we drank quite a bit. The whole experience last about three and a half to four hours and was very worth it. Found out that they have guests who come six or seven times a year. They must be loaded.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?