Day 3-Matt & I Visit the Windy City

After we got back to the hotel, Matt and I decided that we did not just want to sit around the hotel with everyone else. We wanted to go see Chicago while we were so close, because who knows when we would come back again. We tried to figure out the train schedule, and then decided to leave for the train station because the next Metra train came in like 15 minutes. We thought this was plenty of time to get there, but we got lost. We eventually made it there, but missed the train by 10 minutes. So we waited about 45 minutes to an hour for it to come back.

We could not figure out the schedule, and I ended up calling the train station info center for help (Matt claims he figured it out on his own though). Once we got on the train, I was amazed by the fact that there were 2 levels. Of course I made Matthew sit with me up top so we could see better. We passed all these cute train stations, and the people on the train were nice and explained to us where to go and how to get there.

Once we got off at the last stop in Chicago, I was amazed by the amount of stores in the stations. It felt like a little mall. Matt was nervous about going through the revolving doors, and I had to do it first so he wouldn't be scared (haha). Once we found our way out, we found a Starbucks and got drinks. We discovered that when you left a Starbucks, you could usually see another one as soon as you walked out the door.

We made our way to the Sears Tower, and when we asked for direction and tried plugging it into GPS, we found out it is now the Willis Tower because it was bought by someone else last December. People kept telling us we could see it to walk to it, but it was hard to find with all the other buildings blocking the view.

After we purchased our tickets, we made out way to the little musuem area. There were these TV screens built into the floor that you could stand on & press a button, and then the screen would zoom up 103 stories (the height of the tower) and then drop back down. It's supposed to be like the view from the tower. My stomach was dropping already.

On the elevator, I clutched Matthew for dear life because I was so scared. It went so fast, around 18 mph or 24 feet per second. It took around a minute to go up 103 stories.

Once we got to the top, we wandered around and looked at the views. We could see the Interstate we drove in on, and Matt was happy to be able to see Wrigley Field.



Both of us posing with the replicas of the tower, and the view from one side of the top.

Then Matt forced me on the solid glass ledge. Once you step out on it, you can see straight down 103 stories. When I looked down, I realized the toy cars I saw were real cars. I immidiately ran off the ledge and gripped the wall and Matthew for dear life. We wanted to take the professional picture up there, and it took me two tries to make it on the ledge for the picture. You can see the fear in my face, and I was SQUEEZING Matt for dear life lol. I was so happy to get off of it. Matt on the other hand, was brave and walked around on it like it was nothing.



Can you tell I am scared for my life?

After we left (thank goodness), we caught a bus to the Navy Pier. One of my friends told me to visit there and ride the Ferris Wheel. It was so much fun! We could see the whole city, but not from 103 stories up. However, Matthew scared me by rocking our little ferris wheel cart and talking about how it was only held up by those "little wires."



After that, we got sucked into a tourist trap. What we thought would be real Chicago Deep Dish pizza ended up resembling the Digiorno frozen deep dish pizza. The only highlight of eating there was that we could eat outdoors. These kids were feeding these ducks who were on the sidewalk, and the ducks snuck under the gate and came into where we were eating. Then a kid starting poking a duck with a play snake, and the duck bit him. I guess the lesson here is not to feed the ducks in Chicago.



I thought they were going to bite my feet lol.

After we went to a park for more pictures, we got back on the Metra to head back to our hotel. We played Monopoly the whole way, and Matt might have been beating me, but I am convinced he cheated somehow because no one beats me at Monopoly! I guess we will have a rematch.

We were supposed to get off the train at the North Chicago station. When we were at the Great Lakes stop, the one before our stop, Andrew texted me to ask if our train was pulling in. When I asked Matt what station we were at and read Andrew's text, Matt freaked out and got off the train, and I ran after him. However, I was being confusing.

We had to give my aunt directions to the place we were, and we were standing in a really sketchy area. When they were driving towards us, me & Matt attempted to walk somewhere easier to find. We definantly passed scarey people and a homeless man. I ran to our van whenever I finally saw it lol. After the long car trip, I never thought I would be so happy to get back in the van, but I was so excited to get in it that night lol.



Fact: If you are dumb enough to set your purse on the gross floor at the train station bathroom, it will get stolen.