The Windy City is mighty pretty!

Yesterday, Gerard (another intern from the program based in Ann Arbor) and myself took a trip to the capital of the mid-west. We drove from South Haven to Michigan City and then hopped on the train to Chicago from there. When we arrived, we made a beeline to the Sears tower, where we saw the most spectacular sights Chicago has to offer. Oh my goodness, the view was to die for! We were fortunate enough to have bright blue skies and the clouds were far and few between, allowing us an unobstructed view of the incredible scenery and the Chicago skyline. Then it came the time for the obligatory photo from the ledge. I have an irrational fear of heights so this was a really huge deal for me to be able to step out onto the sky deck of the Sears tower, it was a moment to remember but I don’t think my nerves could handle it a second time round!

We then headed for lunch in potbelly sandwich shop was was yummy and a real taste of Chicago! From there, we did a “wee” bit of shopping along State Street, causing my credit card to be red hot with all the purchases I was making! Next on our list was the Architectural tour of Chicago by boat. This was really interesting and gave us a great insight into the history of Chicago and some beautiful views of the buildings from the river. We travelled along the North branch and South branch of the Chicago river and got to see iconic buildings such as the Wrigley building, Trump tower and the Hancock building. Our tour guide was quite a character and she kept us very entertained throughout!

We then headed towards Michigan Avenue which apparently is a rite of passage when you visit Chicago (literally). This was great to see and although it was extremely busy, Chicago has a calm and friendly atmosphere about it that you would not find in other cities of a similar size. After an essential stop in Victoria’s Secret (much to Gerard’s delight) we headed back to Millennium station and were homeward bound. All in all, it was a great day and I really enjoyed myself. Chicago is a beautiful city with a great and unique history (and incredible pizza). Thanks so much to Mary Gahan for taking us to visit her old home and show us around. I will definitely be back to visit the Windy City!

Slán go fóill! (Bye for now)

Róisín