Chicago Tales: Honey, I'm Hoooooome!

Ah, Chicago. How I loved it!

From the moment we alighted at the Shedd Aquarium I was drunk on architecture and still haven't quenched that thirst (what ... doesn't everyone go to the aquarium of a new city first thing? Well, they've never been on Harry Dresden's trail is all I can tell you ...).

This fellow was showboating for the crowd like the otters do ... he didn't mind his "captivity" a bit from what we could see.

The whole building was chock full of charming architectural details like this clock ...

... and this doorway.

Although Tom did have a nasty run-in with a vicious fish in the jungle section!

As for a few other basics ...

• Air conditioning: Chicago doesn't understand it, although if you mention that fact they will wave a hand around at the dead, heavy, hot air in the room and say, "that is so true, although we have air conditioning." Pffft! The exception to this was mass transit. Ironic that to get cooled down in that town one has to get on a bus or the El.
  
  
• Reading: I took four books and actually read three of them!
  
  
  • Graveyard for Lunatics : Another Tale of Two Cities by Ray Bradbury
    A mystery that shows Bradbury's complete love for both words and Hollywood culture of the golden era. Figured much of it out halfway through but loved it anyway because I just love Ray Bradbury's writing!
    
    
  • Precious Dragon by Liz Williams
    Another wonderful installment in William's series about Inspector Chen, his demon counterpart from Hell and the constant struggles between Heaven and Hell in this Asian-flavored universe.
    
    
  • The Accidental Pilgrim by David Moore
    The book I didn't finish but got about halfway through ... and I am afraid that I may have lost it somewhere along the way. A completely charming combination of bicycling travelogue and tracking of St. Columbanus's travels.
    
    
  • The No S Diet
    I first heard of this at Et Tu, Jen? I was intrigued by the idea of a diet book that used the actual word "gluttony" and liked the concept of taking things waaaay back to basics. "There are just three rules and one exception: No Snacks, No Sweets, No Seconds. Except (sometimes) on days that start with 'S'" I mean to say, when's the last time that you read a diet book that used the term Manichean ... yeah, that's what I thought. Never. Also very good is the accompanying podcast that addresses not only diet but exercise and breaking bad habits in general.

More to come about our venture northwards ...