The windy city wasn't so windy, and the village wasn't so kitsch

howdy,

You'd think u had spent a week in Texas but no, apparently they all say it.
Chicagoans are a little less in your face than new yorkers. This is not a bad thing.

Generally very friendly and as a city, Chicago is fabulous. Its got to have one of the best skylines I have seen in the US, and provides ample opportunity to find places used as locations in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

My latest find was the parking garage where the slimey dude nicks Cameron's dad's car. The attendant on duty was equally greasy.

Always hoping George Clooney would come round the corner in his white doctors coat, I must have walked the length and breadth of the city. The same can be said for new york and if you ever decide to walk 300 city blocks in 2 days, I can advise a really good ointment.

The top-notch Chicago weather was totally unexpected. Millenium Park was awash with cyclists, runners (fast walkers, this is America people!) and dudes on roller blades. I seemed to have arrived in the middle of nature's late winter hiatus, and I wasn't complaining.

If you have not been, go. Get your photo taken on those steps made famous in 'The Untouchables', eat ribs, go to one of the many museums and shop on the Mile or jump aboard the 'eL' train and zip around the city above street level. Whatever you do, don't argue with Chicagoans about their sports teams. They are almost as pathological as new yorkers.

After all, 'your English, and you play soccer'. I'm what?? I didn't catch his name but its true, some Americans do understand the lowest form of wit afterall.

New York and I are finished I think. Either that, or I only liked it for the shopping and 5th avenue glitz. The east village might be able to claim to have had some salubrious residents like Allan Ginsberg, but well, I think its a bit past its day. Yeah, there are some gems, and some great music, but it was missing something. Maybe it was Ginsberg.

So, now I'm in Minneapolis, eating mozzerella sticks and drinking a beer. And the best part about the whole thing, I'm still getting ID'd!!

Who says I don't have any class?

The next couple of days are going to be a bit of time out I think. I have to learn a bit of Vietnamese. Otherwise, I run the risk of asking someone for directions, but actually saying 'your chickens are sexy, and are they for rent?' I can't see the locals taking kindly to that.

I hope all is well at your end, and that its at least a bit warmer than it is here. Seriously. Its cold. Minnesota isn't full of Norwegians for nothing.