So it’s the 14th of October and it’s my second time in the country and in Chicago. The euphoria isn’t as strong as it was during the previous visit but it’s still very nice to be here again though.
This time I arrived in the country at Washington DC’s Dulles International Airport. The journey was crazy. Being stuck so high in the sky for more than 20 hours is simply cruel. God bless Steve Jobs and Apple for inventing the iPod. I would have been bored to death without it.
Arriving in Dulles International Airport wasn’t pleasant. My process didn’t go smoothly. No, no, I didn’t receive harsh treatment at the hands of the Customs and Security officers. They were a bunch of cool guys – rigid and strict – but nonetheless very friendly. The problem wasn’t them. It was the freaking finger-print scanning system. It was down! It took quite a while for them to settle everything and I almost missed my flight to Chicago.
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Chicago’s weather is lovely. Okay, maybe not. It’s not winter yet but to me it seriously feels like one. I’m finding it too damn cold and windy. That’s why I partially love it. This is the first time in my life that I get to go out wearing four layers of clothes (two short sleeve T-shirts, one long sleeve and a jacket). Even in the apartment, I wear my socks most of the time.
The weather here is prompting me to reconsider one of my childhood’s mini-dreams ie. building a snow man. What? Why not? I’ve never ever seen natural snow in my life, let alone play in it. I’d love doing that one day but I’m going to have to get used to a weather that is much, much colder. If I don’t, even plans for postgraduate studies in a few years from now in Canada or snowy parts of America might be put off. Sigh! Canadians, how the hell can you manage to survive up there when I might actually die down here?
Speaking of death, grave yards here are so damn nice. They are so green and tidy. Maybe that’s why some Americans love them as appropriate picnic destinations and dating spots.
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Everything in Chicago basically looks the same. Nothing much has changed. I’m not as crazy about taking hundreds of photos next to the same landmarks and scenery as I was the previous time, but I was happy to get another chance to visit some restaurants I loved eating in.
Kabul House has some great Afghani cuisine. It’s a blend of Indian and Persian flavors. Pita Inn serves wonderful Arab food. Both are small restaurants but your taste buds will be satisfied.
Olive Garden didn’t disappoint, although some friends do ridicule me for being such a huge fan of the apparently “fake Italian chain of restaurants”. Fake or not, I like it. One thing I do hate though is when they start singing those retarded birthday songs in Italian. Oh my, it is so annoying.
A new amazingly unique and great restaurant I ate at for the first time here is none other than Fogo de Chão. You can expect the best Brazilian cuisine ever! For about 60 dollars per person, you can eat all you want. The food was absolutely orgasmic. While it was excellent, the overall experience was also nasty.
It’s too tempting not to stuff yourself like a Thanks Giving turkey. Try to resist or else. You may very well find yourself sitting on a “magical seat” composing super cool symphonies rivaling those of Beethoven.
Cuatro was another super lovely restaurant. They have amazing desserts and if you go on Friday night, you can expect a live Latin Jazz Band.
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After spending an enjoyable week at Chicago, I packed up and flew to the kitchen of world politics, Washington DC, “the Belly of the Beast”.
To read posts from my previous trip to the United States, check them out under the following category: US June ‘06.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
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I’m glad you enjoyed your time in Chicago. I live in the suburbs of Chicago and if you thought it was chilly while you were there you might be surprised that to most Chicagoans it has been unseasonably warm for the month of October. And you should see some of our winters, when with wind chill it gets down to -20 F, about -30 C.
I agree with you about Fogo de Chão. There is nothing more marvelous then waiters walking around with skewers full of meat, where you can eat until you burst.
What do you imagine snow to be like?
I remember talking to a guy from Guiana, after he saw real snow for the first time. He said, from the pictures on greetings cards, he had imagined it to be like candle wax.
So, you had a lot to eat… good
And you never seen snow ?
Why don’t you start your own snow-importing business, importing snow to Sudan ? We don’t have much in Denmark, but you can have it all very cheaply, in exchange for a few sunny days.
Good to have you back
“I agree with you about Fogo de Chão. There is nothing more marvelous then waiters walking around with skewers full of meat, where you can eat until you burst.”
Exactly Mark!
Don Cox, I’ve seen and touched artificial snow but Chicago’s weather was just way too cold for me.
“Why don’t you start your own snow-importing business, importing snow to Sudan ?”
Halalhippie, well it still wouldn’t be natural snow. I mean the whole experience will just be fake.
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