In My Life

Since writing earlier several things have happened. I nearly got lost when I went downstairs to the rest room at an Italian eating place – found it OK – but when I came out there were four doors to choose from and it took me three to find the right one. The first opened onto a conference room.
As we were driven to Union Station we couldn’t help noticing the inky blue sky. Unlike L.A. and Portland, Chicago has clear skies and clean air.
All over town beggars sit on the street holding cardboard signs telling the reasons why they need help. The best we saw was: Wife abducted by aliens, need help to buy a space ship and a ray gun. Most are serious: 2 children. Homeless. Need food. God bless. Outside the Apple store the queue is made up of rich kids waiting to be first to get a new iPhone, across the street someone else is begging for help.
On the whole people in Chicago are friendly, humorous, and helpful.
Had my hair cut today – the wind was whipping it up and making me look like one of the three stooges. Now I’m looking quite plucked; I guess it will grow. The hairdresser gave me so much attention and washed my hair before and after. Never had that before.
Now we wait for our next train the Lakeshore Limited – the station is packed and buzzing.

We’re back at the Corner Bakery Cafe opposite the Trump Tower and my favorite – the Wrigley Building. It’s windy outside but the sun is shining and hot. We’re trying to avoid further sunburn. Been back to the Millennium Park and stood under the huge Bean which is distorting mirrors all over. Glenys is going through some postcards of Australia which she gives to maids and those who strike up a conversation. I didn’t know she was so nationalistic about her home country.
Later tonight we head east to Albany for a brief stopover and then go north to Montreal. We’ll now have longer there and if possible one more day in NYC. I’d like to go and hear Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian. Last Sunday we went to the Baptist Church at Havre but no one else showed up; they must have cancelled their advertised Sunday night service. The previous Sunday we were at Boonah Baptist and heard a less than inspiring sermon. I need some solid food.
Dylan’s company BDO advertises on CNN TV. In fact, most ads seem to be for insurance, banks, and retirement companies. The BDO ad is for when your financial situation needs expert help. We saw the fiery hurricane from Central Australia on the news last night – only the second piece of news from home. All must be well. I see online that Labor has caught up to the coalition – what’s going on – how did that happen?
This cafe is so popular! It’s the food, the coffee, and the ambience I guess that brings them in. One customer called it quick casual excellence. It’s our favorite food experience so far on this trip.
This city is an architectural wonder – so many eye catching buildings everywhere you look and forever changing as the sun moves overhead and highlights new aspects and is reflected on the sharp edges. Often the bubbly glass windows look like abstract paintings. Hope we can remember all this.

This afternoon we went to the John Hancock Observatory, 1000 feet above the street below, and got a 360 degree view of the city over the tops of all the smaller skyscrapers all around. Had lunch at Norstrums an upmarket cafe in a store like DJs where a coat costs $485. Lunch was tomato soup and half a chicken and cherry jam sandwich. Very cheap, very delicious. As the darkness falls we get ready to leave.

What a city!  Spectacular!  Today we’ve been on a riverboat and seen the architecture from every angle; and out into Lake Michigan.  Sitting up front meant we got splashed when a wave broke over the bow.  This is skyscraper city and the second city of America.  The streets are wide and there is space between the buildings – so lots of light.  We had four seasons in one day – wind, light showers, sunshine, and heat – I’m sunburnt.  I took 257 pictures – that will need culling. 

Before the boat sightseeing we picked up a be-your-own-guide guide which we used to see the city and find out history and features. So we’ve learnt a lot today. We’ll continue this tomorrow in the parks.  Also found the best café – the Corner Bakery Café just near the river.  There we accidentally discovered a way to get a decent coffee – buy an espresso in a paper cup and then fill it up with brewed coffee and add a dash of milk.  The café specialty is a cinnamon cream cake – moist and crumbly – huge slice for $2.69.  It was so good we went back to have their special combo lunch – soup and sandwich, with homemade corn chips, gherkin, and an apple for $8.99.  Make a donation to the poor and they add a cake.

Our hotel is just around the corner from the Magnificent Mile – a mile of ‘gourmet’ shops.  It ends with the beach of Lake Michigan which is so big it looks like an ocean complete with its sailing boats and ships.  Our bedroom is smaller than the big one we had in Havre at the Big Western Motel and no free wi-fi and no breakfast; but location-wise it’s great.   

News-wise the Romney bid for the presidency is faltering and it looks like he has made one too many gaffes in saying 47% of Americans are dependent on social security.  Obama is as much as 8% ahead now.  The people backing Obama include many wealth-making liberals.

Outside the Apple store people are queuing for the new iPhone (camping out) with blankets, folding chairs, and all the tech stuff you need these days.

What contrasts we’ve seen – small town Havre is the antithesis of Chicago – and the beggars on the streets here are of a different ilk to the ones in Portland and L.A.  Montana’s emptiness and barrenness is the opposite of the farms in N. Dakota and Wisconsin. 

We’re doing fine – wondering, “How did we ever get to be here seeing all this?”       

This train is running three hours late – due to maintenance on the rails and hold-ups to let freight trains through. It’s not a problem for us as we’re staying in Chicago, but for all those catching connecting trains there is consternation.

We’re seated across the aisle from an elderly couple (79ers) that have been living in a motor-home for the last 12 years, but have just moved into a ‘retirement facility’. They were saying that you can park for free at Walmart car parks after 5.00pm – all over the country – and so you pay no camping fees. Now they are taking to the train.

During the night we’ve passed over from Montana, then North Dakota, and now we’re in Minnesota – close to St Paul/Minneapolis. Glenys had a good long sleep; me a little less – no spare seats to stretch out on.

We’ve been eating light food – last night Bumble Bee Tuna Salad with crackers (as recommended by Glenyce Howard), Californian figs, and half a nut bar. Some times we live on half meals or half servings and we’re doing fine. Everything here is big and obesity is endemic.  We miss Australian coffee!

If you’ve ever heard Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion radio show you will have some idea of this little town of Havre. Early this morning we walked the length of the long main street and several side streets taking photos with everyone watching ‘suspiciously’. We dropped into the Lunch Box Café for coffee and came across a bunch of old men who meet there each weekday for coffee and a chat – as they do at the Chatterbox Café in Lake Woebegone. They were happy to let me photograph them and eager to talk about Australia. When I came back to my coffee a woman, working in the natural gas industry, was chatting with Glenys about going to the mission field. It’s that kind of town. In the café they have a sign saying “NO WHINING” and it seemed apt – because there would be nothing to whinge about in such company. Later we went to a shoe repair store and got talking with the cobbler who is fascinated with Ayres Rock. Everyone seems to be driving a monster pick-up truck – even though petrol (gas) is $4+ per gallon.

At lunch time a man asked, “Are you the fella that was taking photos in our town this morning?” He and his mate were also attracted to Australia. It turns out two Australians work in Havre – one as basketball player and coach at the local Tech College, the other as a physiotherapist.

Can you imagine 9 months of winter – temperatures 40 below freezing and 12 feet of snow? That’s Havre’s lot each year. We wondered how anything could grow – seems they plant the wheat before the snow comes so that when it melts in July the seeds are moist and ready to sprout. It’s short wheat – not very abundant – but not bad for here. We could never have imagined we would enjoy this place – off the beaten track – so much.

One other thing: there was a busload of older Aussies in a 30-seater bus at the same motel for breakfast. They’ve just come down through Canada from the Arctic Circle. They looked a bit worn out – and maybe starved for fresh company because they were keen to chat. One man was thinking of catching our train because they’re going too slow and stopping too often on his bus.
This has far exceeded our expectations.