Illinois

Chicago

Well, we took a plane from Salt Lake City to Chicago. The security checks were like last time, just annoying. I always tried to read the recommendations regarding to the check-in behaviour really carefully but it seems to be impossible for me to satisfy the stuff. Like last time I placed all belonings into the boxes, I weared no shoes anymore and no belt as well. But I did one mistake: I didn't pull my laptop out of my bag....They moved my bag through the x-ray and then the show began. One of the security members (at the x-ray) looked at me and asked: "Is this your bag?", "yes", I replied and then first she shouted at me: "STEP BACK, STEP BACK", then a man in front of me shouted: "STEP BACK, STEP BACK"...Well, I guess you can imagine, that I was a little bit confused, anyway the woman brought my bag out of the security zone and she carried it in a way, if she would carry a dangerous item...by the way, while carrying a bomb, I guess the few centimeters will do no difference. Anyway, the man ordered me to follow her and to take all my stuff out of my bag...O.K., I followed her...without shoes, without belt and still confused and shocked because of the shouting...then I took everything out, once again x-ray and I was free...busy with packing my stuff back in my bag and calming down the next problem appeared: Nathanael bought in Japan a bottle of Sake as a present, but he didn't place it in his suitcase, he had it in his hand luggage, thus he had to go back and they filtered his stuff again....but he got the possibility to put the bottle in his backpack....after arriving in Chicago he checked his bag and we were really surprised, that the US security checked his bag too, without knowing...
One of Nathanael's item after the control.
Can you see the jets...
During the evening we arrived in Chicago and we had a lot of luck...in San Francisco we met two girls and one of them invited us spontaneous to Chicago, hence we met them again and I really enjoyed the time there. First, to have funny conversations concerning google, benefits of spooning and other stuff, second to have somebody, who showed us tourists the city and last but not least don't need to sleep on my mattress in a campground ;). At this point: Rachel and Jenn, once again "Thank you, Thank you and one more time Thank you".

The view out of Rachel's flat.
Next day we went to Rachel's University, the University of Illinois at Chicago...
Lets explore the city!
Rachel and me.
The "Millenium Park". Thats the "Crown Fountain".
The police officer on a strange vehicle, I thought its still in development.
The "Cloud Gate Sculpture", but a few people call it the "Bean" ;)
Can you find me???
Open-Air...
Before we took our car below back to the flat we ate at "Herold's Chicken", I ate a "Pizza Puff"...delicious ;)
Unfortunately, one day in Chicago was really too short to explore a city with such a great atmosphere...