Reflections on Chicago

Tomorrow we will fly back to the islands. Grenada to be exact. It’s been a wonderful visit in the most exciting city in the galaxy (sorry NYC). Especially so as the election nears. Grant park is getting ready for a celebration that this city hasn’t seen since, well, since forever! Last Illinois president was honest Abe. If I could stay for the party I would walk around and pretend that it was for the world champion Chicago Cubs but just wait until next century! So, as we do our laundry and prepare for the pleasures of air travel I have some thoughts from Chicago.

In Grenada as with most other Caribbean islands we’ve become accustomed to making eye contact and saying hi to people we pass on the street as they are quick to do the same. Rude to not do so. In Chicago this isn’t really done. It’s not because Chicagoans aren’t friendly. They really are. If you were to talk to someone at random or ask for directions they would help you immediately. It’s just that it is nearly impossible to make eye contact when most people are on the phone, or deep into their iPod, or pushing buttons to text someone. Chicagoans (and I suspect many Americans in big cities) walk around in their own little bubbles of entertainment. It’s ok I guess but it was a noticeable difference. Check out this video from youtube. They've actually padded the lamp posts on a London street because people are walking into them so much while texting!

Winter makes Chicagoans crazy. This town has two faces. The summer face is just one long downtown festival. There is some ‘fest’ about every weekend. The lakefront is loaded with runners, walkers, bikers, sunbathers, tennis players, and boaters. Then winter comes and Chicagoans hunker down for the long wait. Their only solace through part of the long winter are their beloved Chicago Bears. While some people are baseball fans in there some are Cubs and some are White Sox fans, it seems ALL Chicagoans go nuts for their Bears. They are 5-3 by the way but lost their QB yesterday and have yet to play the dreaded Packers. We’ll see. The parade of boats down the Chicago River brought this home to me. Every spring about 10,000 boats are put back in the water and every fall those same 10,000 boats are taken back out. I sure don’t miss winterizing my boat but at least when they haul out here there are no barnacles on the hull. Not yet anyway!

Non-green leaves are a treat. We happened to be up here for the prettiest time of the year - Fall in the midwest. I had some drives in Indiana and the trees are just spectacular. The islands are always pretty but they are always the same pretty. Fall jacket weather is the best but I will enjoy having warm toes when we return to the island.

If things go as planned (right) we will hang in Grenada for at least 6 months while we work. That means there is no question where we’ll be (probably) so come on down. Get out of that Chicago winter and enjoy a week or so in Grenada. We can help find hotel or resort and make your visit extra enjoyable. Keep reading and stay in touch.