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Whole day of Ancient Aliens on the History Channel and some wine, what a perfect way to spend the day. I am such a sucker for these shows.
I did go to Chicago yesterday, and it was exactly what I needed. I actually don't even know quite where to start. It didn't start off amazing, with arriving at the city to find the CTA machine was broken, a huge line for the bathroom, and the yelling of the high schoolers in my train car still remaining. The broken machine threw my plans of going straight to the zoo out of the window.
So, I followed the crowds instead. If there was a group of people crossing the street, so would I. And I loved it. I had no idea where I was headed, just that I was going somewhere. I can't even describe how freeing that was. That finally led me to a CVS, where I did get a bus card but decided not to use it right away. Instead, I walked through Blues Fest and along the lake. I totally got lost and walked into this dead-end between hotels and resident buildings where I freaked some guy with his dog out, but I eventually found a super secret (probably not secret to anyone but me) way up to Michigan Avenue that let me walk along the river for a while. I found a wine cafe right there on it, I may check out on my next visit. I did make it to the zoo, but I would totally find it boring to write all about all the animals I saw and the rest of my step by step. The important thing, I found the llamas and they were glorious.
What is amazing is how alone I did NOT feel. I was half expecting to get there, see all these people together, and wish I was with someone, but I didn't. Actually, I felt much more connected to people. I struck up a conversation with two high school boys heading to the beach while waiting for the train, for instance, and I wouldn't have done that with another person.
I've never been into designer clothes or into fashion, so walking down Michigan Avenue is something I've never done, nor was I expecting to do it that day, but I still ended up walking down a part of it. While I didn't go into any of the stores, just the diversity of the people there was amazing. There were two Japanese young men walking in front of me for a time (they were so tiny), and about four Brazilian men walking behind me, speaking much better English than I think I can speak. The only way I knew they were Brazilian is because they kept talking about home, and it was rather interesting to listen. Everywhere, you'd hear different languages or accents.
At the zoo, I ended up wandering through one of the bird houses with an older woman who loves birds as much as I do. It was an unspoken kind of thing, we started at the beginning and were together until the last exhibit.
In another bird house, I somehow was lucky and ended up being the only person in one of the exhibits except for the zookeeper cleaning the exhibit. The birds didn't like that, so they were on the railing or walking along the walkway. I was able to get incredibly close to them.
I also met a friend while eating lunch at the zoo, and I totally have an awesome picture I'll post.
While waiting for the bus at the zoo, a Mexican man and his younger daughter struck up a conversation. I had been watching him show her what the button at the bus stop does, and gave them a smile. He told me about more about the city, and how to get where I was going from the bus stop. I sat near them on the bus, and listened to him talk to some tourists about business. He reminded me of my dad, with that ability to strike up random conversations with anyone. He and his daughter got off the bus a stop before me, and I remember watching them walk down the street and wishing both of them a good life in my head.
Those were the moments I remember the most, the ones where I connected with a complete stranger for a time. I'll never see that man and his daughter again, but I won't forget them either. How can you feel alone that way? It wasn't the sights, or the smells, it was making eye contact with the beggars, befriending that man and his daughter for a few minutes, walking behind those Japanese men. It was the people. This is why I want to travel alone.
It is amazing just letting go for a day, forgetting that there is work to go back to eventually. For that day, I just was, and that was more than enough. I should've done this way sooner.
And I do have pictures, taken with my awesome (not) Blackberry camera.
( We better run before we disapper. )
I did go to Chicago yesterday, and it was exactly what I needed. I actually don't even know quite where to start. It didn't start off amazing, with arriving at the city to find the CTA machine was broken, a huge line for the bathroom, and the yelling of the high schoolers in my train car still remaining. The broken machine threw my plans of going straight to the zoo out of the window.
So, I followed the crowds instead. If there was a group of people crossing the street, so would I. And I loved it. I had no idea where I was headed, just that I was going somewhere. I can't even describe how freeing that was. That finally led me to a CVS, where I did get a bus card but decided not to use it right away. Instead, I walked through Blues Fest and along the lake. I totally got lost and walked into this dead-end between hotels and resident buildings where I freaked some guy with his dog out, but I eventually found a super secret (probably not secret to anyone but me) way up to Michigan Avenue that let me walk along the river for a while. I found a wine cafe right there on it, I may check out on my next visit. I did make it to the zoo, but I would totally find it boring to write all about all the animals I saw and the rest of my step by step. The important thing, I found the llamas and they were glorious.
What is amazing is how alone I did NOT feel. I was half expecting to get there, see all these people together, and wish I was with someone, but I didn't. Actually, I felt much more connected to people. I struck up a conversation with two high school boys heading to the beach while waiting for the train, for instance, and I wouldn't have done that with another person.
I've never been into designer clothes or into fashion, so walking down Michigan Avenue is something I've never done, nor was I expecting to do it that day, but I still ended up walking down a part of it. While I didn't go into any of the stores, just the diversity of the people there was amazing. There were two Japanese young men walking in front of me for a time (they were so tiny), and about four Brazilian men walking behind me, speaking much better English than I think I can speak. The only way I knew they were Brazilian is because they kept talking about home, and it was rather interesting to listen. Everywhere, you'd hear different languages or accents.
At the zoo, I ended up wandering through one of the bird houses with an older woman who loves birds as much as I do. It was an unspoken kind of thing, we started at the beginning and were together until the last exhibit.
In another bird house, I somehow was lucky and ended up being the only person in one of the exhibits except for the zookeeper cleaning the exhibit. The birds didn't like that, so they were on the railing or walking along the walkway. I was able to get incredibly close to them.
I also met a friend while eating lunch at the zoo, and I totally have an awesome picture I'll post.
While waiting for the bus at the zoo, a Mexican man and his younger daughter struck up a conversation. I had been watching him show her what the button at the bus stop does, and gave them a smile. He told me about more about the city, and how to get where I was going from the bus stop. I sat near them on the bus, and listened to him talk to some tourists about business. He reminded me of my dad, with that ability to strike up random conversations with anyone. He and his daughter got off the bus a stop before me, and I remember watching them walk down the street and wishing both of them a good life in my head.
Those were the moments I remember the most, the ones where I connected with a complete stranger for a time. I'll never see that man and his daughter again, but I won't forget them either. How can you feel alone that way? It wasn't the sights, or the smells, it was making eye contact with the beggars, befriending that man and his daughter for a few minutes, walking behind those Japanese men. It was the people. This is why I want to travel alone.
It is amazing just letting go for a day, forgetting that there is work to go back to eventually. For that day, I just was, and that was more than enough. I should've done this way sooner.
And I do have pictures, taken with my awesome (not) Blackberry camera.
( We better run before we disapper. )
