~ Architectural Tour of Chicago ~

by Tina~in_ut

Di and I went on an Architecture Tour when we were in Chicago.  We cruised up and down the river and got to see a lot of the different styles of buildings in the city.  It was very interesting and we both enjoyed it, for the most part.  Chicago has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world.  I cracked up when we passed the NBC building.  There is so much going on in the city and so much to see....and what was I doing?  I was recognizing all the spots where ER filmed it's outside shots.  

We went past the old Sears Tower and the "corn cob buildings!"  (see pics)  The person who designed the "corn cobs" must have been on something when he thought up these weird looking things~  There is one spot on the tour where all modes of transportation intersect.  It's on the flight path for the airport, the bridge over the river holds cars, bikes, pedestrians, and buses, boats travel under the bridge, and the subway is underneath it all.  I thought that was cool!

What really strikes me as funny, though, is the fact that, although we sat right next to each other, we had two very different experiences.  We sat down in the middle of the boat and were followed by a family of two parents, a set of grandparents, and two children (one infant and one 2 yr old).  They sat in the row behind us to the left.  They were from India and didn't speak any English, so while the tour guide was giving his spiel, they talked amongst themselves....VERY LOUDLY!!!  I'm pretty okay with that.  I've learned to be in a room with my children and husband and won't hear a word any of them say.  I'm really good at tuning them out, so I just tuned out the family. 

What I couldn't tune out was the husband's cough.  It was constant and LOUD!  And, of course, he couldn't cover his mouth.  Thank God he sat on the side of the boat for most of the time, but when he moved to sit behind me, I about died.  I kept picturing all these germs flying into my hair!  ewwwwww~  It so grossed me out.  When I said something to Di afterward, she looked at me like I was on crack and said she didn't even know the man was coughing.

What really bothered her was the grandfather playing with the toddler.  He kept making her giggle and "coochie coochie cooing" her!  I looked at her like SHE was on crack!  I didn't hear him at all.  I thought the grandparents were pretty quiet compared to the parents!

We laugh now about it, but at the time, we both wanted to throttle those people!  Especially since the rest of the boat was pretty much empty~  One other thing worth mentioning......after the cruise, we both had some questions that we were going to ask the tour guide, but instead, Di stopped this YOUNG, CUTE boy who was helping dock the boat.  I couldn't stop laughing afterward.   I was scared that I would have to find another room for the night with the way she was all over that kid!!!  Just kidding~ :D .....maybe~