Going backward, I arrived at The Volvo Cave in Air Volvo from Portland’s airport, unimaginatively named after its call letter, PDX. The travel back was interrupted by southbound I-5 being closed, and I was easily rerouted to 405 and the “Space Shuttle” ramp, which is taller than the Fremont Bridge roadway at its peak! Having switched to the Fremont (405) from the Marquam (I-5), I arrived in Beaverton without issues. It is about the same distance, and there are more chances to drive fast on 405.
I found the house as I left it. I made the bed from newly washed sheets, the dishes were all done, and the house was put in some order to greet me. Corwin had done some lawn work for me. The little garden was gone, and grass seed was planted in its hole in the lawn. He misted the orchids and put a package, my Dungeons and Dragons new 2024 Players Handbook (a second copy), which also comes with a PDF version, in the house.
I showered and was in bed before 1. Unlike the hotel, I was asleep immediately. I was tired from the travel, lack of sleep, and 14,000+ steps for the day. I slept until 6ish.
Going further back in my day, the newer 737, a United flight, was more comfortable than most 737s but had a smaller economy space than any other plane I fly. The Alaska Airlines flight inbound to Chicago was the older model and was more bus than flight. Inbound to PDX, this flight had an entertainment system, and I got earbuds from the stewardess. I can only hear in one ear, but I turned up the sound to near max and used CC to help with all the plane noise. I will soon change back to Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones. The CC helps me now; I am afraid I use it constantly. I think I need glasses with CC built into them (something that is now possible but not yet available).
I tried music and sleep, but that was not going to work, and it was only a 3:45 flight. I instead picked the newest Planet of the Apes movie I missed in theaters. It is a story set a few generations later. Humans, we learn, called “echos,” are dying out and are only seen when there is draught, and they wander further from their usual hunting and gathering lands. The movie is the tale of the Eagle clan that raises eagles and uses them to catch fish. The clan is attacked. A human gal who can talk is on a mission, and she connects with the apes, and they destroy a military bunker (she gets a hard drive), and so on. It was well done, and the fable was told in a strange setting. I liked it.
After boarding the plane in Chicago, one of the overhead bins would not lock. We waited thirty minutes for the repair guy, delaying our flight. He looked at the issue, put a sticker on the bin to mark it as broken, and used clear tape to close it. With the issue resolved (sort of), we were safe to take off.
Moving to the later afternoon, I reached the Palmer House and picked up my bags from the bag storage. I rolled the bags for four blocks in Chicago to the Jackson Blue Line Elevator and took them to the ticket area. I bought a one-way ticket for $5 and took the handicap elevator to the next level. It was cool on the trains, but the platforms were hot. It was a short wait, and I boarded the O’Hara-bound train and found a chair. It is about an hour’s trip and reminds me of the Washington DC Metro, not NYC. I felt safe the whole trip. The last station was ridiculously hot, with giant fans blowing to move the air but not to cool it.
I rolled my bags on and on and found I was in Terminal 1. I worked out the check-in process, tagged and handed over my bag (having paid United $40 for the first bag–first bag was free on Alaska), and received my seat (not an upgrade) without additional cost (the same seat was offered to me for $129 last night, f**k that for a less than four-hour flight). I walked and walked and found security and managed to not have my pants fall off without my belt. I passed, but people were dropping things everywhere, and I had to retrieve a dropped earbud from the gym bag I used for my carry-on. I soon found a sandwich and a place to charge my laptop and iPhone. I loan my plugs, and I carry a spare and a battery to a gal who charges her phone. I spend a few hours enjoying my sandwich, reading, texting, and surfing the Internet. I bought an overpriced bottle of water but refilled it.
I head to the gate and find a chair at the laptop bar. I see someone who used to work at Nike in the upgrade line, but I am aggressively ignored. Never really liked him, either. I am in the last group and find my cheap seat in the middle, 26B. One seatmate is more aggressive-ignoring, but the other is friendly and an engineer. We both watch the events of the broken overhead bins with amusement.
(you can see my reflection over the shark)
Moving back further, the Shedd Aquarium was Wednesday’s tourism target. I walk to it—a thirty-minute walk—and head to the lakeshore, trying to remember the matching hymn. I go slow and learn not to walk on the bike trail but to use the pedestrian trail by the water. While walking, I spotted the water taxi company I used yesterday’s dock. I climb many steps, discover the aquarium is buried in construction, and have to walk around it. The sun is hot today in Chicago, and the lake’s humidity does not improve the experience. The line is long for ad hoc tickets, but there is a QR code to scan. I buy a ticket on my phone before the line moves a lot. I wait on a bench for five minutes, and the ticket pops into my email. I enter and find the dolphin show about to start. I sit high up with my back of the rock–not comfy but still better, and another gal joins me. She is taking a bus tour from Boston and, like me, traveling alone. She, too, travels often and visits museums all over. I will have to check on bus tours–I like that idea for the more compressed East Coast. We chat about our travels while we wait for the show to start. It is the usual seaworld stuff, and I don’t bother with the camera.
I found the colossal reef tank with sharks and lots of fish, which is more my style. I got the required shark picture. There are also real reef tanks with coral, crabs, and various invertebrates. While well done, I have seen better setups in Portland and Beaverton aquarium stores. Still, I am a sucker for a well-stocked aquarium. I soon find the vast collection of tanks. The Shedd specializes in tanks for fish, invertebrates, and small reptiles worldwide (no bugs, though). Some tanks are for deeper water, shaded water, and ice-cold water. The Pacific Northwest tanks were cold. I was impressed as you don’t see large cold water tanks as warm water is easier, as you, dear reader, can imagine.
I did the 4D show on octopuses (for another $5), which included a moving chair and tentacles hitting your feet. It was an excellent but short show. I jumped twice when my feet were hit by something that felt like part of an octopus.
While the museums were a more interesting trip and the endless fish blurred together, it was still a good day, and the Chicago dog was good (the poppy seed bun was not provided, but I can forgive that). I would only plan a 1/2 day for the Shedd, but it is just as expensive as the others. The Field Museum is across the parking lot. I think this is an excellent place to use a City Pass. Two 1/2 days here unless there is a good show at Field (Field is a natural history with dinosaurs and that stuff, and I decided to skip it).
Another 35-minute walk back, a $20+ taxi trip, or a water taxi. I forgot that I wanted Union Station and instead got a ticket for Michigan Avenue (meaning a 15-minute walk to the Palmer House). I then enjoyed the water taxi for two trips. I then enjoyed walking one more time in Chicago while I returned to get my bags and headed out at 4ish.
Starting Wednesday, I rose at 6:30 (or 4:40 PDT) to write the blog and pack. I have to sit on my bag to close it, and I no longer regret the insane price I paid, as the zippers hold for the overstuffed case. I shower, dress, and write. I assemble everything and put on a dress shirt for the flight. I have found that the airline crew will treat you better if you look more like a businessman. It was too hot for the sweater in my gym bag.
Breakfast is again at Goddess and the Baker, a block away, after a quick check-out and storing my bags. I have their biscuit sandwich and manage 2/3 of it. Not as good as the ham was still cold. I could have done better. I get to sit at a table on the sidewalk on Wabash in the old jeweler area and watch Chicago start work on another hump day. There, I decided on the Shedd Aquarium and to walk (Chicago Institute of Art is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
And that takes us full circle. Thanks for reading. I enjoyed my trip, seeing friends (Deborah), enjoying shows (The Book of Morman, Rigoletto, and Henry V), having more to see at Navy Pier, and just walking around The Loop. I might exchange London House for Palmer House to be on the river (with a daily pass for the water taxi), but I enjoyed Palmer House. However, the Hilton daily charge of $25 and the lack of a complimentary brunch-style breakfast (they wanted $200 for a daily voucher at the restaurant) did not sit well with me. The hotel seemed a bit corporate and had less service than I am used to for this price range and a historic hotel. Marriot does this better, and I am comparing this to the US Grant in San Diego (a favorite).
It was a great day and a great week. Thanks for reading.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 