well, what an interesting last day in chicago. it has been an absolute scrocher. so much so that i have broken out in heat rash- and i could be read like braille, tiny little dots occupying my skin. so itchy, want to scratch. must resist! the day has been met with a number of challenges, but we naturally kicked ass and overcame every one of them. we get things done like-a-baws!
we began the day in lincoln park, which is fairly large. there was a farmers market thing on so we went there and had something to eat and a look around. there was a fantastic african american man playing the drums with a number of instruments around him. he would sing and teach the kids to play instruments. 'i got a beat, you got a beat, trees got a beat, skies got a beat. i see you over there lady, shakin' your thang'. mum in her usual way began dancing and 'shakin' her thang'. i've come to expect nothing less.
we then went to the free zoo that occupies much of lincoln park. both us and the animals were feeling the heat, and most of them decided not to come out of their cages. true to form, the kangaroos were out bathing in the sun- taking one for the team! the most exciting part, though, was watching a chick hatch out of it's egg. we then went to try and find charlie trotters for dad. walking through the heat, we finally arrived after about 10 blocks of walking. not only was it closed, but it was the most disappointing looking restaurant we had both ever seen. we took a photo of the menu and continued on our way- stopping momentarily to look at some vintage shops before catching the bus back home.
i returned home and flaked, whilst mum was determined to run an errand- sending some of our clothes back home to australia in the post. she returned with no box, to inform me that the only place close was charging over $110 to send it, and that the USPS was cheaper, but a subway ride away. lifting myself off the couch and piling the clothes into a bag- we headed for the subway. hot and sweaty, we reaches the USPS. 'hi, we just need to buy a packing box to put this all in and send to australia'. the woman behind the counter looked at us- utterly disinterested- 'we don't got no more boxes that size'. we both sighed a heavy sigh, weighed up out options and headed in search of a cardboard box. at this point mum questioned why she hadn't let the man charge her $110+ and just sent the stuff then and there. but now we were on a mission.
we went to mcdonalds to use their wifi (and maybe also get frappes), and find somewhere selling boxes. the sign outside informed us it was 97.5 degrees f (for those of you playing at home that's about 37 degrees c). we ended up at a walgreens, where they had no boxes for sale, but gave us their spare packing boxes covered in advertisements for window spray. we triumphantly marched back into USPS to be greeted warm heartedly by the same woman. 'you can't have no things on the outside of the box. you gotta cover it'. 20 or so minutes and meters of packing tape later we emerged having sent the package back home. and feeling strangely like we had won a war.
we got back on the subway to get home- being met by the peak hour traffic. people, sweaty and exhausted, piled into the train like sardines. as we were about to depart from the station a man (who looked delightfully like mr. obama) slipped between the doors and smiled to us all.
'sorry im late!'
dinner was at a chinese restaurant- highly recommended by the locals. it was empty inside, except for a table of roudy work colleagues all drinking heavily and singing loudly. the food was delicious, and we followed it up with pink berry froyo whilst we walked the streets- the warm air pleasant now that the sun had gone down.
we walked the streets, and saw the original playboy mansion- now a number of apartments. 'you know what's weird, we haven't seen any rats yet'. turning the corner my words were quickly withdrawn as a giant rat ran across the footpath and into the bushes. well, would you look at that.
off to new york bright and early tomorrow. just a little bit excited.
-danielle
