I'd be going alone, I knew that. Its not the greatest way to see the building but when you travel alone, you have to do these things and I have no problem with it. On days like this it can be pretty nice as well, just taking the day at your own pace, doing what you want to do and not having to answer to anyone. Ahh, this was the life!
I was utilising the information I'd been given in the pub a few days before and decided to try it out, head up to the 96th floor and the bar instead of the 94th observatory. As you approach the Tower itself it imposes itself on you, dominating you and everything surrounding it. You don't realise just how impressive it is (and its twin tv antenna brother - The Sears Tower) until you get withing a few feet of it. Soaring up into the sky it seems to go on forever!
Upon entering I asked rather tentatively about getting up to the bar. I was pointed to the elevator, avoiding the people paying to get up to the top and on my way. It was all a bit strange, I had the feeling that I wasn't meant to be here, that I was in the wrong place but I found my way to the bar and sat down to enjoy a beer and the views!
So sure, the beer was $8 but that's still cheaper than paying, you're two floors higher and the views, oh my God! Those views! It sums up the diversity of this City so well - The heavily built up Downtown, the low level area out west and the lake front area with its great looking beaches. The views make it without doubt worth the effort to come here!
Beer drunk and enough photos to fill an album taken, I was done and headed out to another popular tourist site, Navy Pier. My sense of direction being simply stunning, I ended up at a pier but not THE pier. It seems i was a little North of where I wanted to be, still there were some cool views of the City and a little, I mean, really little beach. realising my mistake I moved onwards and eventually stumbled upon my initial target.
I can certainly see why Navy Pier is such a draw. There's plenty to keep you entertained here, lake trips galore, however the place is really aimed at kids. It was fun to have a walk around but I wasn't really for me. I can really see the attraction for families though. With the skies looking rather threatening now, I decided it was time to get myself back to the hostel, doing so with just seconds to spare before the skies let loose!
I met up with Nikki again back at the hostel. We had planned to grab some food together but plans had been scuppered by her forgetful mind and 3 German guys who she was now cooking with. Later on the Germans asked us if we wanted to go out with them, I'd have liked to but for catching my bus to St Louis early tomorrow morning and with the time already gone 11pm I knew it was going to be a late one. Nikki agreed to go and then changed her mind. SO instead the two of us hung around in our usual manner outside the front of the hostel.
A few people came and went and we were soon joined by a New Yorker who managed somehow to change our fun conversations about Home and Away and Neighbours onto politics and ethics. It was more tahn either of us could really stomach and when his response to one our questions was "look it up on Wikipedia" We both wanted rid! Fortunately a severe lack of cigs meant we had to head out on a ciggy hunt. Our good luck turned to bad when we everywhere we tried was closed, even the 24 hour shop! Eventually, after some 40 minutes or so we were pointed to a gloriously open shop right by Loyola Metro Station. By the time we had returned, the strange New Yorker had gone inside and was playing chess leaving us in peace. Our luck was out though as he returned to join us - Oh what joy!
By 2am we'd both had enough of both him and staying awake. I retired to my bed here in Chicago for the final time. My plans for sleep ruined by one of the loudest snorers currently on this planet. If he continues to snore in dorms like this he wont be on this planet for too much longer!!!
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