Welcome to My World

今天開始休假一個禮拜，準備到芝加哥和尼加拉瀑布玩上一個禮拜！同時也是我搬出The New Yorker的日子，高額的租金加上我延長在紐約停留的時間，我決定要搬去便宜一點的房子省下一點生活費，所以下次回來就會再直接搬進新家了。

( I am going on my one-week vacation to Chicago and Niagara Fall. This morning I also checked out the room of The New Yorker, due to the high rent and my extension of my stay in New York. When I go back from Chicago, I will move in the new studio.)

前一晚睡前還喝了幾罐啤酒，睡了5小時起了大早前往LGA Airport搭9:50的飛機。’第一次到這個機場，換了兩班地鐵加上一趟公車，一個小時後才到，辦完所有手續抵達候機室已經是9:10分，算是剛好趕上登機還有點時間買杯咖啡！

(The last night I drank several cans of beer and only slept for 5 hours! It was my first time to LGA, we took one hour to there. I just arrived before boarding!)

飛行時間是2小時35分，發個呆，看一下前一天才去借的Foder’s 2011 Chicago，就看到著名的五大湖區和陸地了。

(The flight time was 2 hours and 35 minutes. I read the travel guide which I borrowed from the library the last day, then I could see the lake and the land in Illinois. )

Chicago International Airport. (ORD)

搭乘機場捷運到市區的路上，我和我舊金山認識的朋友看到這個地名同時都驚呼，我們回到加州了!

(We took Blue L line to Chicago downtown, and passed California. We said we were back. (My friend and I met in San Francisco.)

先Check in 我們的hostel 放行李，我們住的是地點非常好的Hostelling International。每個樓層有幾個小房間裡有小客廳和廚房，我們住Bunk Bed上下鋪的床和共用衛浴，房間簡單但是還蠻乾淨的。

(We chose Hostelling International,which it has a good location. There are some rooms in a suite. We stay in Co-Ed room with a bunk bed and share bath. It’s quite simple but clean.)

出去後就是他們的地鐵(捷運)CTA，所以其實在房間裡可以聽得到運行的聲音，這是唯一的缺點。(There is a CTA line passing by the hostel, so it’s a little noisy.)

用Yelp來查芝加哥有名的熱狗，在附近找了一間評價不錯的Max’s Chicago，結果我點起司漢堡Combo套餐，嚐起來濃濃的起司醬，十分的美式。我想接下來我還會有很多機會可以吃到有名的熱狗和披薩吧!

( I ordered a cheeseburger combo meal instead of hot dogs; this joint is from Yelp review checking, Max’s Chicago. The burger was covered with mustard and cheese, typical American-style food!)

解決了飢餓感後，我們直接從hostel走到Grant Park，看到芝加哥有名的高樓大廈街景，真令人讚嘆!(After the first meal, we walked along the Grant Park, the gorgeous high-rises are so amazing! From this moment, I fall in love with Chicago!)

Beautiful trees in fall!

Millennium Park. There are performances in summer time, not now!

芝加哥最著名的景點!

(The most famous must-see is The Cloud Gate; The people in Chicago give it a nickname- The Bean.)

超有創造力的設計!整個反映週遭高樓大廈的街景，就像存在異次元空間一樣.

(The design is creative! It reflects the buildings in front of it. It has another world inside.)

Look up from the bottom, everyone looks like a worm, ants even you could say sperm!

開始來玩拍照!整個在這裡花了一個小時。

(It’s a magic to take interesting photos! Totally I spent over one hour here.)

Tones of pictures! Sorry about that, but it’s my blog! Haaa!

I found my twin sister! 

The Bean is a crystal ball. (好像水晶球，如果上面不要有指紋就好了!)

Everyone had lots of fun here!!

有趣的裝置藝術，夏天時會有水嘴巴裡噴出來，旅遊書上一定有她的照片 

(Another spot is Crown Fountain. In summer time, the water will go from their mouths. Children play with water here. The faces will change in several minutes.)

Every shot is like a picture on postcards.

They are playing chess on the street.

想去看著名景點Buckingham Fountain，但是也因為是淡季的關係都沒有水了，好可惜。

(It’s also closed in winter!)

在這種寒冷的天氣令人實在有極度渴望咖啡的慾望，一樣用yelp評價搜尋評比不錯的咖啡店。比Starbucks貴但是還蠻值得的。

(Cold weathers made us thirst for hot coffee! We yelped a good café, much expensive but worthy.)

Strolling on the streets in the evening.

James R. Thompson Center( State of Illinois State)像大巨蛋，裡面像是購物中心。

Chicago River.

來芝加哥怎麼會不用嚐芝加哥道地的deep-dish pizza? This pizza joint is one of famous ones. We also ordered pasta too!

Chicago deep-dish pizza!! The waiter cut into four parts and put on our dishes.

裡面有濃厚的起司，上面覆蓋新鮮番茄和肉醬，整個嚐起來很濃郁，在台灣沒吃過這樣的披薩。結果我們點了披薩和義大麵，實在吃不完還打包想當作隔天的晚餐。

(The rich cheese is inside the pizza and fresh tomatoes for topping. Taste good! We over-ordered the meals; we took out for another dinner.

在這裡有接近零度甚至常下雪的天氣，車站也有戶外的暖爐設備。

(Waiting for the subway, due to cold weather there is outdoor heat at the station. Now it was around 2 degree Celsius.)

On the subway with a stuffed stomach!

So far I am satisfied!