Christina had a whole day planned, mainly for the kids. First, they would go to Go Ape, then Chinatown, then Shedd Aquarium, then finally Navy Pier.
My friend Angeli was in town. She saw my Chicago posts and reached out, which again made me feel like a local. I met her and her friends at Wildberry Cafe. I saw the boy, he didn't recognize me. I ordered savory this time, a grilled cheese brisket sandwich. It was delish but I could only eat half. I kept the other half in a to go box in my purse.
Angeli made our way to Fulton Market, while her friends went to Shedd. Fulton Market has lots of restaurants. When we got there, the area was empty. Most of the restaurants were closed on Mondays and on Tuesdays.
We had a drink at the bar at a tapas restaurant.
"Let me ask you something," I said to the bartender. "Why is Chicago closed on Mondays?"
"Because of COVID-19," he replied.
Ooh. Right. Pandemic. They closed on Mondays and Tuesdays because no one was going out. I keep making my analogy to Spirited Away. Downtown, the Riverwalk, and even Fulton Market are empty at the beginning of the week. Then the weekend hits, and everyone comes out. It's like in the movie when Chihiro first arrives in the town, and it's eerie because no one is there. When nightfalls, it's hustling and bustling and everyone is suddenly visible.
The bartender gave us some recommendations. "Normally, I'd get you to stay here, but I want you to see Chicago. I want you to see my town."
We went back downtown to London House. We wanted to try a rooftop bar. Rooftop bars get you closer to the sun, and we were still in a heat wave. It was maybe going to be a miserable time. There weren't any tables in the shade where we could sit.
Up a small flight of stairs, there was a rotunda. That had shade and people lounging about. It felt very good under the cement roof. We climbed up and sat on the wall. The view was cool (minus the eyesore of a building right in front of us). It's funny how videos and photos don't capture how tall something is. We were 22 stories high, but the picture just feels like a nice backdrop, not something that can trigger your fear of heights or falling.
We walked along the river to get one more drink. We found a gimmicky sand bar, but it did the trick. The tables had umbrellas that provided shade and the ring on a hook bar game.
@jmeprcn ##vlog Daytime bar hopping is challenging when half the city is closed on Mondays ##londonhousechicago ##chicagoriverwalk ##downtownchicago
♬ Paradise - Bazzi
I went with Angeli to meet her friend. We made our way up to find the bus stop.
Level 1: Bus Stop
Level 2: Lower Street?
Level 3: Upper Street?
Level 4: Main Street?
I don't know, it was very confusing, and map apps don't detect what level you're on. We eventually found the stop. It was empty when we went aboard, which made up for the fact that the bus driver almost didn't stop for us and I had to wave them down. It was the first and only time I got to be on an empty bus.
Shedd aquarium is below Millennium Park. Millennium Park is a huge park. It was a longer bus ride than I anticipated. You turn a corner from the bus stop, and the neighborhood was a little shady. Like there was a lady hanging out in the bathroom stall the entire time. I felt like a dude was tracking me at the bus stop. The bus was late, so I opted for the train. At least, that would arrive and would get me out of here.
Red Line is my least favorite train. It takes you to both ballparks, but it's not as nice as the others. Green Line is my favorite train. It's elevated and takes you to downtown. 94 was my favorite bus because I used it most. 126 was my least favorite. It was never reliable.
I made my way to Navy Pier. Kim got the kids Dragons' Breath, which was a cereal ball (which tasted like Captain Crunch berries) with liquid nitrogen. The gimmick lasts for only a minute. You eat it, and smoke will come out of your mouth and nose.
@jmeprcn Liquid Nitrogen + Cereal = 🐉 ##navypier ##fundesserts ##liquidhoney
♬ original sound - Jamie P
The kids rode all the rides and had the time of their life. I checked out the arboretum I had seen when I rode the swings before.
@jmeprcn 📍Chicago Children’s Museum ##arboretum ##navypier ##chicagotourist dc: @santizegarraa
♬ KESI (Remix) - Camilo & Shawn Mendes
Kids loved the rides, and it's a good note for when traveling with kids. They appreciate the fun stuff at that age. The culture will come later. Christina's mom got stung by a bee. I think I did too.
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