Hello Chicago

I'm pretty tired after an unexpected early thunderstorm woke me up. I made the most of the morning taking my time to pack and once the rain had stopped headed to the store to buy some beers for Eric to say thanks for having me and as a birthday present (it is his birthday today). He'd headed out to work very early but we did catch up last night. Before I headed for my bus I found time to do some internet searching and found a hairdresser near my Chicago hostel. I phoned them and thankfully I was able to secure a late afternoon appointment for a colour and cut. I caught a bus to Downtown and the Megabus to Chicago at 1pm reading more of Treasure Island on the journey. The bus was only half full so I had room to spread out. We arrived in the city just after 3pm and it was a short trip on the 'L' (subway) to my hostel. It's a neat place in a very lively area.

After unpacking the essentials, having a snack and looking at some maps and very handy information provided by the hostel I walked to the hairdressers about a mile away. It is a real luxury for me to have someone else dye my hair and it was very reasonably priced. My appointment started a bit late and didn't finish until after 7pm. The hairdresser was well travelled and very chatty and did a great job. From there I walked east a few blocks then back north in the direction of my hostel in search of a place to eat. There was so much choice but I went to Big Star Taqueria which is recommended in the Lonely Planet for their tacos. The place was packed but I managed to get a seat at the bar and my order was very quickly served. I made my way slowly but surely through a couple of tacos and a mountain of tortilla chips then took a walk back towards my hostel. The area is really busy and reminiscent of Old Street/Brick Lane in London. My head was spinning a little, I think it was a buzz from the coffee I'd had at the hairdressers combined with my tired mind. I got a drink from a nearby store and sat in the hostel basement/kitchen area working out what to do tomorrow. I think I'm going to head to Wrigley Field to see the Chicago Cubs play. It's supposed to be a neat ballpark to watch a game at. That starts in the early afternoon and certainly isn't sold out so I should be able to get a ticket at the box office. It'll break up the day nicely as I can do a little exploring in the morning and some later in the afternoon/evening. I'm sure some spots will be familiar from my previous visit a few years back.

Holiday Jones Hostel, Chicago