Start of day three is a visit to viewing platform atop “Chicago 360” (the LH tower below). Over 1,000 feet high, it includes “Tilt”, changing your overseeing body by about 35 degrees. Holding on to handrails as you’re tilted over the precipice. Inside, of course. Not as bad as it sounds. The platform provides amazing views over the 77 districts covering 2.3 miles populated by 2.3 million “Chicagoans”, all allegedly believing in “community”. Well, that’s what the intro told us ….
Late lunch was time to try Chicago pizza pie. Great pastry encased pizza filled all of us – pizza was OK, but more evidence that USA portions are just too big.
Visit to Nee’s brother & partner babysitting for her sister in Wicker Town. Great drinks in the attic of former church &, subsequently, in local night life venues. Even a live jazz venue. Reminded of mission, so time to hear some blues.
15th – St Patrick’s Day, a very big event in Chicago due to a significant Irish emigre population. Celebrations include colouring the river green & a huge procession & much bigger crowd, using alcohol as the most popular medium. Never seen so many teenagers gathered together. Feels like a plague of locusts.
Quick visit to Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art to enjoy exhibits & home, then, to prepare for Rosa’s Lounge blues concert at 11pm.
Which was fantastic: a holy grail bar venue featured the birthday gig from Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band.
Arrived at 10.45 for his second gig but he hadn’t finished his first. Slowly he delved into blues favourites, lesser known & some of his own songs, too. We even had some of his birthday cake, which was good, too. It would seem all five of us enjoyed …. good news for further down the delta. Tomorrow we leave the mighty Chicago for St Louis.
Chris & Kath's Travel Time 