Chicago (The Windy City)

My 2nd oldest sister, just moved to Chicago for her student teaching. I talked to her on the Thursday before presidents day and we talked about what a perfect weekend it would have been for me to come visit her since neither of us had school on Monday.We hang up after a few more minutes and I didn't think much about it. Friday I wake up and think to myself "I'm going to Chicago!"

I want to let everyone know right now that I am a VERY determined person. Once I set my mind on something I usually make it happen. It can be a good characteristic and a bad one. Just ask my mom. :p.

That night I bought a bus Ticket for Chicago and I left on Saturday morning. I was the last person on the mega bus and I went up to the 2nd level with all my luggage. FYI: When the driver asks you if you want to put your suitcase in the luggage area, say yes. After I banged everyone on my way towards the back of the bus I got settled in next to this old woman, and tried to ignore the glares from the people I just hit with my bags. The first half of the 4 and a half hr drive went pleasantly enough after I got settled in. I read my book (it was very interesting!) and minded my own business. Then we had a rest stop, I ate my lunch, stretched, used the bathroom, and was looking forward to getting back to my book.

*Ominous Music Starts, like the kind in The Twilight Zone* The old lady starts talking to me, at first I'm polite and try to look her in the eye as she's talking even though it's making my neck sore since she is next to me. After what feels like 5 hrs I start zoning out and occasionally murmur some non committal sounds.  When I look at my clock I see that's it's been barely 30 minutes since the rest stop, I almost thought I was in the twilight zone. The lady is still talking and talking and talking and talking some more. She reminds me of Uncle Rico from the Napoleon Dynamite movie. Stuck in the past and living in a constant state of regret. It was depressing. It was a VERY long bus ride.

After I was blessed with a pounding headache thanks to the rank smell of the old Lady's breath I finally arrived in Chicago! I have never been happier to arrive somewhere. I was free! I find my sister after a few confused phone calls and we head for her apartment.

Walking...walking...more walking, my sister can't find where the right bus stop is. I packed light but for a 4 day trip you can't pack light enough where you won't feel the weight after 40 minutes. Did I mention it was really cold too? After 2 hrs, most of which was comprised of walking we arrived at her apartment. Of course, there was more walking after we got to the building. We crawled up 3 flights of stairs (more like six flights because there are 2 sets of stairs for every floor) with the last of our energy. I drop my stuff, which I had begun to extremely dislike, and flopped on the couch to recover a little. After about an hour of this I decide we are being way lame (it's my first time in Chicago and I'm wasting it on being lazy!) and need to go out for dinner. My favorite food is Mediterranean and my sisters says there is this great place not to far away. Food always makes me feel better.

After a relatively short trip compared to earlier in the day we arrived at a lovely middle eastern restaurant and order some delicious appetizers and decide to split a platter of meats. It was SSSOOO good but I'm not going into detail because a. it'll make me hungrier than I am right now and b. some things you have to experience for your self. Like while we were there the guy sitting at the table next to ours was talking to himself. He had a bluetooth on but it was on his other ear so I couldn't see it and I thought it was quite entertaining.

After our wonderful dinner we head back to the apartment and meet some of her room mates. Then we watch movies and relax the rest of the night. We head to bed early'ish and make a plan to do something fun the next day. My sister gave me the option of museums or shopping. Let's just say it wasn't a very hard decision...

More Later. . .