Day 9: Chicago, and Catching Up

Hi all, before I get back into the stories of what I did in Chicago, I should explain why I didn't have any new post yesterday, something which I'm sure has been a great disappointment to the reading public. Well, it was just bound to happen that at some point we would end up staying someplace where there would be no wireless internet access. In this case, we are staying someplace where there is no internet at all, which is fine and the stay has been very comfortable, but it has not been conducive to maintaining a proper blogging schedule. I don't want to sound ungrateful to our host, to whom we are greatly indebted for offering a place to stay and has provided us with much helpful information. But I suppose since she has no internet, she won't be reading this anyway.

Anyway, earlier in our journey we were on the University of Minnesota campus (for reasons I will explain later), which I just assumed would have wireless access. It did, but they charged money for visitors to use it.



Later in the evening, we traveled down to a commercial area slightly off the campus called "Dinkytown," for some reason, and I'm not making that up. There we found a place called Espresso Royale, which offers free wireless internet, a wonderful array of beverages and foods, and a group of people playing Settlers of Catan a few tables over. Needless to say, it gets my vote for favorite place in Minneapolis.



So while I am in fact in Minneapolis on a Saturday, I will momentarily go back in time to Chicago on Thursday, and resume the journey there. Time machine ... whoosh!

First stop was the Field Museum. It's big.



And the stuff inside it is big.



That was the famous "Sue," one of the fossilized dinosaurs they have on display. The other ones look pretty much like this. Also, we went into a special exhibit that they had on dinosaurs that was so exclusive that photography was not allowed in the exhibition hall. So let me just say this much: Computer-modeled virtual moving dinosaurs! Yeah, you heard me.

The main collection was cool, I particularly liked the display of ancient American artifacts, as I've always been fascinated by the Mesoamerican cultures and civilizations. I took many photos, but my favorite were these pots from the Moche culture.



One of the features was a recreation of a house in a Pueblo village. The walls were made of adobe, which was cheap, durable, and allowed for easy electrical wiring.



Also in the Pueblo section was a strange display of items meant to relate their culture, in which people belonged to many different clubs and organizations, to our culture today. I was a little curious about the decision to put Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity into the same general category, along with other associations like "being German."



Another attraction of the Field Museum was the Hall of Plants, which really does have information about any plant you can think of, and many more that you can't.



The exhibit has clearly been there for some time. I learned there that much of the flax produced in the world comes from the Soviet Union, while a great deal of jute comes from East Pakistan. It also had plenty of information about plants used to make illegal drugs, including these psychedelic mushrooms, which for some reason didn't come out very well in a photo. (Maybe because they're not actually plants.)



We spent virtually all day at the museum and learned more things than I could possibly talk about. One of the more important things I learned is that it probably sucks to work there, at least if you have to work in this lab. (That is a real lab employee inside, not a replica.)



Several hours later, we emerged to see what a beautiful day we were missing.



Towards evening, we made our way uptown and into the "Magnificent Mile" district, known for shopping, and for having many stores that exist in just about every major downtown, shopping mall, or outlet village in America. We did see this place, which seemed unique. I don't have much else to say about it.



We also strolled by the Museum for Contemporary Art. I don't have a joke here either.



Finally we ran into a group of people who looked like out-of-towners, and decided to mug them.



Afterwards we all got together to rob someone else's apartment.



And then went out for dinner. For a real Chicago experience, we went to the original Pizzeria Uno, which I was delighted to find is not at all the same as the chain version that exists in other cities, malls, &c.



I was also surprised to find that "Pizzeria Due" is not in fact a joke, but rather is another place that exists just down the street.



And that it is, in actuality, an outbranch of Pizzeria Due, with the same menu and everything.



After being thoroughly stuffed, we did what everyone ought to do after eating a ton of pizza in Chicago. We went bowling. I don't have great photos of that, because it was one of those trendy blacklighted bowling alleys. But if you can picture in your mind me throwing a strike as my first ball but slipping and falling into the lane, well, that should pretty much do it.

That was our grand day of being tourists in Chicago. Altogether, many things were learned and no one was hurt too badly. Next up, the journey to Minneapolis. See you very soon.