Saturday, June 13, 2009

Zoom w a View: Chicago street scenes Pt 2

Don’t visit any major city without a camera... its history sits on every corner.


Or rides, if you’re in Chicago.


Chicago is one of my favourite US cities, the Black Hawks one of my favourite teams.

[Speaking of the Hawks: While chatting with an employee of the Hilton who sees many famous people walk through his hotel’s front lobby, I shared a story about how I almost knocked Bobby Hull’s head off during a baseball game.

“I was at bat, taking practice swings, and saw Bobby, a childhood idol of mine, sitting in a lawn chair beside my hockey coach.”

“I experienced a major adrenalin rush and put the first pitch over the left field scoreboard, slightly foul, the longest hit of my life. I hit every bit of the second pitch in a straight line over Bobby’s head - and if he hadn’t fallen back in his chair he would have been a goner.”

“After the game he said something to me about my swing when I asked him for his autograph.”]


["I saw one Black Hawk": photos by GAH]

I saw one Black Hawk, but Bobby was no where to be found. He keeps his head down when I come to town.

***

Have you been to Chicago? Have a favourite memory?

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4 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had a great time!

I've been to Chicago a number of times and my most vivid memory is of arriving there with only a lightweight trench coat from Cairo to find below freezing weather... when two days before the locals had been sunning on the lake!

Brrrrrrr!

G. Harrison said...

Hi Jane,

We had sun one day, rain the next, but not too cool to enjoy a run past the Navy Pier.

In fact, the rain helped me with a few photos. Back to those later.

Cheers,

Gord

Kathleen said...

I adore Chicago. It's like the New York of the midwest.

I've always been a proponent of taking my kids on vacations to build memories and expose them to news places, and the Field Museum was a favorite destination when they were little.

During a very lean time, I took all 3 (hubby had to stay home for work) during Spring Break and made the trip on a shoe string budget.

We drove from Minneapolis, stayed in my in-laws Park Forest home (they were in Florida), packed pb&J sandwiches and rode the train downtown to catch the sites. As I recall, I had a $100 budget. It was grand!

Thanks for reminding me!

G. Harrison said...

Kathleen,

A $100 budget is an amazing feat - and a memory maker too. Lean times bring creativity to the fore, in my opinion.

Great comment. Thank you.

Gord