Chicago Part 4: Look Up, Look Down, Look All Around

Blimey I don't think I've written so many posts about just one town but this is the last one I promise. I'd been to Chicago once before. It was my first trip to America and my dad and I were heading for Denver to meet up with my mum who was already out in the States but we had an 8 hour in Chicago. After we landed dad hailed a cab and we drove down the freeway to the Sears Tower which was then, in the 1980s, the tallest building in the world. We got out of the cab, looked up in awe then got back into the cab to go back to the airport. Looking back we must have been shattered and we were only half way through our journey. Anyway 30 years on I actually went up the Sears Tower (yes I know it's now called the Willis Tower but to me, and everyone in Chicago it seems, it's still called the Sears Tower). The views were spectacular.

A recent addition to the Sears Tower was 'The Edge' which is a glass box  you can step onto and literally look down. You only got a minute so the images aren't well composed but you get the idea. And bizarrely I wasn't afraid despite been very, very high. 

For the first few days in Chicago I was getting over a spell of labyrinthitis which was made worse if I spent too long looking up, but by our final day I was able to fully take pictures skywards. 

We loved the Bean so much we stopped off at it again for another look! 

Michelle had also suggested we popped into see the Tiffany Dome which was amazing. The Building it's in is now a cultural centre and free to enter. The Dome was pretty amazing if twee and impossible to photograph and do it justice. 

And our final trip was another suggestion by Michelle. It was to take the Loop on the Brown Line L train. We had seen the track meander through the city at ground level but it was great to get another view from the tracks. 

So they we have it, our short break in Chicago. It was short as I had to go onto New Mexico to attend a conference for work but I can honestly say I loved Chicago. It was full of surprises and beauty and I would certainly love to go back to explore more.