My room is small and shakes with the passing trains. If you're familiar with the brown line heading north just before the Belmont and Clark stop, you may remember the house/business that says "Shirts on Sheffield". I can wave at the passers by. Antoine and his girlfriend Claire welcomed me this morning with a tray of coffee mugs, sugar and cream. It was just another line on the list of hospitality and warm friendship these two have. It's strange to stay in a little, old house in Chicago. Seattle's housing is small I believe because the land is so hilly and landlocked in beautiful water. Chicago is totally the other end of the spectrum. There is not even a whisper of inclination let alone a hill is in this land. Storms in Seattle can come in overnight and surprise everyone or promised snow may not come at all. In Chicago, you can see the weather coming from Canada days before it hits. It can be predicted to the hour. Building and streets here are massive. Most streets, even side streets, can be four or five lanes with parking on each side and large sidewalks. The theater in Oldtown is literally four times the size of the Paramount in Seattle. I feel like an ant. One can see a destination just a few blocks away, but it still takes what feels like forever to walk it. Everyone mentions the great public transport, and it is! But darn if it's not expensive to get around. $2.25 per trip on bus or the L with a two hour $.25 transfer. Getting a day pass at $5.75 is worth the investment if you'll make more that two trips. The taxi system is far cheaper than Seattle. It is not uncommon to get honked at by a taxi when you walk out of an establishment. In Seattle, you have to call a taxi and wait sometimes for twenty minutes for the guy to charge you twenty or more buck to get home. Sheesh.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Shirts on Sheffield
My room is small and shakes with the passing trains. If you're familiar with the brown line heading north just before the Belmont and Clark stop, you may remember the house/business that says "Shirts on Sheffield". I can wave at the passers by. Antoine and his girlfriend Claire welcomed me this morning with a tray of coffee mugs, sugar and cream. It was just another line on the list of hospitality and warm friendship these two have. It's strange to stay in a little, old house in Chicago. Seattle's housing is small I believe because the land is so hilly and landlocked in beautiful water. Chicago is totally the other end of the spectrum. There is not even a whisper of inclination let alone a hill is in this land. Storms in Seattle can come in overnight and surprise everyone or promised snow may not come at all. In Chicago, you can see the weather coming from Canada days before it hits. It can be predicted to the hour. Building and streets here are massive. Most streets, even side streets, can be four or five lanes with parking on each side and large sidewalks. The theater in Oldtown is literally four times the size of the Paramount in Seattle. I feel like an ant. One can see a destination just a few blocks away, but it still takes what feels like forever to walk it. Everyone mentions the great public transport, and it is! But darn if it's not expensive to get around. $2.25 per trip on bus or the L with a two hour $.25 transfer. Getting a day pass at $5.75 is worth the investment if you'll make more that two trips. The taxi system is far cheaper than Seattle. It is not uncommon to get honked at by a taxi when you walk out of an establishment. In Seattle, you have to call a taxi and wait sometimes for twenty minutes for the guy to charge you twenty or more buck to get home. Sheesh.
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2 comments:
PROST! Thanks for the blog kev-man. I just added it to my own. Looks like Chi-town is treating you well. I look forward to reading 'bout your adventures.
Holy crap...I can totally identify with the whole concept of seeing your destination but it taking ten years to walk there. Especially true of Sears tower. It felt so close but took an eternity to walk there. FYI, Seattle's bus fare just went up to $2 so it's not much better here anymore. But, it is 53 degrees here today, so I'll take it.
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