I took a quick trip to Chicago and decided to try the Megabus. It's certainly a cheap alternative to driving, flying, or taking Amtrak, especially for a last-minute trip ($50 roundtrip - almost cheaper than a tank of gas). I got caught up in the excitement when the bus pulled up and grabbed a seat on the second level. You certainly have a great view from up top with the large picture windows on all sides (including the ceiling), but every bump and sway is greatly magnified riding up so high. I was nauseous before we even crossed the river into Illinois (all the pot holes and road construction didn't help). Luckily I was able to get a seat on the lower deck on the return trip - much smoother ride, and let's face it. There's not much to see in rural Illinois except flat, flat, flat farmland.
The people in Chicago love to celebrate Halloween. The water in this fountain outside the Atrium building was tinted orange - kind of strange looking, but actually looked very similar to the red water in the St Louis fountain (they tinted all the fountains around Busch Stadium in honor of the baseball playoffs). Courtney's courtyard was really decorated up with tombstones, pumpkins, and skeletons. (It was raining and dark when we got there or I would have taken a picture.)
On this trip I decided to do something different, so I spent the afternoon at the Art Institute's Museum. You would need to spend a week there to do justice to all the different exhibits, but I managed to see the ones on modern art, architecture, American antique furniture, and miniature rooms. It also turned out to be a really nice fall day - not windy or cold which is really unusual for Chicago - so I walked around the outdoor sculpture garden. I wish I could find a statue like this to put in my own garden.
