USA, Part 1: Chicago

You know, I think I have to give up saying "Where has the time gone" because it happens alllll the time. Just blink, and one month has zoomed by. So, I am just going to, first of all, APOLOGISE for the long gap since the last posting, and, second, get on with this one!

I made it to the US!! I did! It has been almost 16+ years since my last trip! And why did I go? Well, my cousins from Milwaukee (L & R), who have come to KL for several weeks at a stretch every year for the last couple of years, have been trying very hard to get us to go there. Last year I had wanted to send my parents for L & R's daughters weddings (BOTH daughters got married last year!).... but my mother would not have been able to handle the 30+ hours journey, so they never went. To make up for that, I decided I will go this year, so I duly applied for, and got, my US Visa (10 years), booked my tickets: KL --> Hong Kong --> Chicago.

Then, YIPPEE, landing in Chicago meant I got to visit with wonderful old friend Anne! She has a lovely lovely home in Chicago, which she spent more than one year getting into the amazing shape that it is in now. It is very close to the town centre, so it is easy to just walk in and stroll the streets - which is what we did the very day I landed in Chicago (8th May), after a 34 hour journey which included a 14 hour stop over in HKG!

I found Chicago to be SUCH a pretty town. A really interesting mixture of old and new buildings, with the old buildings having lovely embellishments on them. I was only there till 10th May (basically only one FULL day there, the 9th), but Anne managed to show me quite a bit of Chicago. We even did a boat tour, which was a really good way to see the city too. We also managed to hit some shops, including Nordstrom Rack (VERY nice prices!!) where I got myself a pair of my favourite FITFLOPS at a dirt cheap price. Soooo happy :-D.

Anyway, here are some pictures I took while on the river tour.

- I just loved the work on this pillar!


- The Wrigley Building - Yep, the chewing gum people.


- This building is apparently BIGGER than the Pentagon! The mind boggles..


- Private homes, right on the river. I would LOVE to live there.


- OK, this was kinda scary. The underside of one of the many bridges crossing the river. From underneath, the bridge looks like it is held together just by RUST!!


- Everywhere you look, there is greenery. And such a lovely emerald green.


- Sears Tower!


- Chicago skyline, from the river


I really enjoyed Chicago, and, in fact, after having also spent a few days in New York City, I know that I could NOT live in NYC, but I could DEFINITELY live in Chicago :-).

And Anne was a brilliant hostess. We had not seen each other for a decade, and we had so much to catch up on, and so much to talk about. It was so good being able to catch up, and spend time together.

Anne, I loved my time with you so much, next time I am in the US, I will be back to bug you again!

Part 2 of my US trip coming up in the next post!

Till then, have a good day, every day!