DAY 3: CHICAGO, MY KINDA TOWN!
We woke to beautiful clear skies today for our last full outing in Chicago.
It was perfect conditions for our first port of call, the Willis Tower, which for about 20 odd years after it was built in the seventies was the tallest building in the world. The observation deck here is 103 floors up. They say on a windy day you can literally feel the building sway under your feet. I must admit to having a couple of those moments, but when I sought confirmation with Nic, the horror in her eyes told me not to ask again (being Sept 11 today probably didn't help!).
Willis Tower has the 'Skydeck' - where you get to stand in a glass floored box outside the perimeter of the building and look down every one of those 103 floors. Pretty unnerving stuff, but the three of us all managed to brave it for the obligatory selfie.
From Willis Tower, we then headed to nearby Millennium Park, where we took in the sights of Buckingham Fountain and the Cloud Gate sculpture.
After a late lunch we retreated back to our hotel. Nic and Josh decided to unwind and make use of the hotel pool, while I donned my Philly Eagles jersey and sought refuge in a nearby sports bar with similarly clad locals for a couple of hours to take in the first round of the NFL season (Sunday footy is like a religion here!).
Tonight we dined at 'RPM Italian', a restaurant owned by local celebrity couple Bill and Giuliana Rancic. No A-listers spotted here tonight unfortunately, but the food was delish regardless.
It rounded out a great first leg to our holiday. With all its high rises, Chicago is like a smaller version of New York. The river that winds through it though, seems to give the city a bit more of a laid back vibe compared to the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.
It'll be hard to leave here tomorrow, but we're looking forward to our next stop, Niagara Falls.
Thanks for your hospitality Donald!