I was in Chicago last week on a business trip. I love going to cities that I have never been before and always try to really get the feel of the place when I visit.
When I first got the hotel, I was given my little room key card with the room number of 737. Then when the elevator left me on the 7th floor, I came to this:
Of course my room was not listed. I hoped this was not an indication of how the week was going to go. But I was smart and found it and immediately turned the heat up to 88 degrees. I was home.
Then I decided to walk to the Willis Tower (formally known as the Sears Tower) to do the Skywalk thing on the 105th floor. As I left the hotel I asked the valet guy how to get there.
“Let me call you a cab,” he answered.
“No, I’ll walk.”
“But it is over 2 miles.”
“That’s okay, I’ll walk.” (What? Did I look like I needed a walker or something? I had my Nikes on for heavens sake).
So given directions, off I went. And I have to say this. Windy City is not the only description. Add, cold to that and I was immediately miserable. The only coat I had brought with me was a jacket. The scarf I stopped off and bought at a drugstore didn’t help very much. The dogs sitting in strollers were more warmly dressed than I was.
This sign did not help me at all:
Because I had no idea which way was East/West/North/South. But I appreciated the thought. There was “3 to a corner” police when I started. Not so much the farther away from downtown I got. (And again with the taxi request when I asked a question).
I stopped off at a Chicago souvenir shop on my way. I asked the clerk how much farther to the Willis Tower. The clerk asked if I wanted him to tell me the truth or lie. I already loved this city.
I finally made it to Jackson and Wells. And I did find the building (It would be pretty dumb not to, right?) but where the hell was the entrance? I walked the complete block before I found it. And then off to the Skywalk!
I have never been on an elevator ride that was so long you got to watch a video. Guess that was included in the admission price.
Of course by the time I got there it was completely dark. Because I had to walk so far. And didn’t take a taxi.
I tried to take some pictures but they turned out like this:
Or this:
But I did get a nice shot of my Nikes:
It was very disorienting to walk out on the see through plastic ledge. I think everyone had to stick one foot out at a time just to test the strength of the thing. I had absolutely no plans of taking the express route back to the street.
And then my adventure was over. So I left the Willis Tower with a much greater appreciation of tall buildings. And I immediately called a cab.
