There and Back Again
On Sunday, me Mum, a few of her friends, and I headed headed out for Chicago for the German Christkindlmarket. This is an open-air market that happens every year in Chicago. People from Germany, other European nations, and other countries around the world come here to sell goods from their homeland.
After a hectic driving experience, we made it to our hotel. We got out, had the car put away, and put our luggage on the trolly. The young man started to pull the trolly away. I had to practically run to keep pace with him. I was thinking, "Now here's a guy who doesn't waste time, I like that." Eventually, the others caught up. The rooms we were staying in were very nice, and not at a bad price. We unloaded out things, and headed out for the market. I love just walking on the streets of a city. Seeing all the people, buildings towering over you. No one knows you and you don't know them. That's why I love the city. Oh yeah, I found a broken pink lighter. It sends off a few sparks!
By then it was dark, so it was pretty to see all the lights around the city. The sky was an eerie grey from the lights. The market was really crowded when we got there; venders were selling German food, hot drinks, and the beer house looked busy. Some stands had hand-carved figures, there were candles, clothes, jewelry, ceramics, and a whole lotta other stuff. I bought a ring with a black stone in the center from a vender from Nepal. Me Mum and I had potato pancakes and apple sauce with hot chocolate. It was hard to see everything because of all the people.
We legged back to the hotel after an hour or so. We would be going back the next day. Due to the time change and busy day, we all went to bed early. Me Mum and I overslept and barely made it to breakfast. Once down there, we saw the same young man working in the breakfast room that took our trolly. We wondered how many hours he worked since it was about four o'clock when we arrived at the hotel. I went back to my room earlier than the others. While waiting for the elevator, a guy, maybe twenty or so walks up to wait as well. We just started talking, our names, where we were from, turns out he's from Milwaukee. I got off first, so we just said bye. But it was cool, just to have an easy conversation with a stranger.
We booked a reservation for lunch and ankled back to the German market. We got there early so we could get good a lay of the land before it opened. It was much easier to get around that day then it was the other night. After getting some tea to fight the cold, I set out to see the Market. I talked to guy selling these pretty ceramics, mugs, cups, plates, and such. He told me that they are made of a special clay found only in Poland. This clay is almost completely white and is very strong. I found a booth selling wool hats and jumpers from Ireland. I got some chocolate for my family. Me Mum bought two little carved wooden mice and some Christmas ornaments.
After the market, we passed by a Hard Rock Hotel. We went into the gift store and I ended up buying a T-shirt and a war pin with two crossed guitars, one with a peace sign the other with a a crown on a dark blue background with sides of white and red. Two chains hang from the top. Hanging at the bottom of the ribbon is a dirty silver star outlined with red, kind of Soviet style.
This will have been my fourth time in Chicago. I have never stayed for a length of time, five days I think was the longest. There's so much there, I wanted to go to the Field Museum again, but we didn't have time.
Overall, it was a great trip.
After a hectic driving experience, we made it to our hotel. We got out, had the car put away, and put our luggage on the trolly. The young man started to pull the trolly away. I had to practically run to keep pace with him. I was thinking, "Now here's a guy who doesn't waste time, I like that." Eventually, the others caught up. The rooms we were staying in were very nice, and not at a bad price. We unloaded out things, and headed out for the market. I love just walking on the streets of a city. Seeing all the people, buildings towering over you. No one knows you and you don't know them. That's why I love the city. Oh yeah, I found a broken pink lighter. It sends off a few sparks!
By then it was dark, so it was pretty to see all the lights around the city. The sky was an eerie grey from the lights. The market was really crowded when we got there; venders were selling German food, hot drinks, and the beer house looked busy. Some stands had hand-carved figures, there were candles, clothes, jewelry, ceramics, and a whole lotta other stuff. I bought a ring with a black stone in the center from a vender from Nepal. Me Mum and I had potato pancakes and apple sauce with hot chocolate. It was hard to see everything because of all the people.
We legged back to the hotel after an hour or so. We would be going back the next day. Due to the time change and busy day, we all went to bed early. Me Mum and I overslept and barely made it to breakfast. Once down there, we saw the same young man working in the breakfast room that took our trolly. We wondered how many hours he worked since it was about four o'clock when we arrived at the hotel. I went back to my room earlier than the others. While waiting for the elevator, a guy, maybe twenty or so walks up to wait as well. We just started talking, our names, where we were from, turns out he's from Milwaukee. I got off first, so we just said bye. But it was cool, just to have an easy conversation with a stranger.
We booked a reservation for lunch and ankled back to the German market. We got there early so we could get good a lay of the land before it opened. It was much easier to get around that day then it was the other night. After getting some tea to fight the cold, I set out to see the Market. I talked to guy selling these pretty ceramics, mugs, cups, plates, and such. He told me that they are made of a special clay found only in Poland. This clay is almost completely white and is very strong. I found a booth selling wool hats and jumpers from Ireland. I got some chocolate for my family. Me Mum bought two little carved wooden mice and some Christmas ornaments.
After the market, we passed by a Hard Rock Hotel. We went into the gift store and I ended up buying a T-shirt and a war pin with two crossed guitars, one with a peace sign the other with a a crown on a dark blue background with sides of white and red. Two chains hang from the top. Hanging at the bottom of the ribbon is a dirty silver star outlined with red, kind of Soviet style.
This will have been my fourth time in Chicago. I have never stayed for a length of time, five days I think was the longest. There's so much there, I wanted to go to the Field Museum again, but we didn't have time.
Overall, it was a great trip.