At Last

I've finally got all my photo's from my recent vacation to Boston & Chicago downloaded onto Flickr.

You can check them out from the link on my sidebar or use this link - Micks Photos
Be warned there is a lot but you can watch them as a slide show if you wish.

Tell me which one's if any you like ?

While I'm on the subject of my vacation I saw this lady Rock singer performing on the stage in the Beer garden on the Navy Pier in Chicago :-


They call her Jen Porter and I watched for a couple of hours, I reckoned she was good did a few cover versions of songs I like plus some of her own compositions.

At the end of her set she was giving out her cards so I e'mailed her telling her I enjoyed the show and attatching a couple of photos I took. She actually e'mailed back thanking me for sending the photo's.

You can check her out at http://www.jenporter.com/ or watch this Video (let me know what you think) :-

Changing subject the rain stopped this morning but so I was able to go for a long walk, I needed the exercise. However I've just had lunch and we've had a torrential downpour, the UK is a mess with flooding all over the place. Its ok where I live although fields are flooded but the town is unscathed.

This afternoon I'm now gonna watch the Golf while keeping my eye on the German Grand Prix, our boy Lewis Hamilton is struggling at the half way point after having a 175mph crash due a wheel problem in qualifying yesterday. He leads the World Championship and will do fantastic if he can finish in the top 8 and get some points today, he's already had a puncture and come off twice due to a waterlogged track and been on the wrong tires.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia leads the Open Golf and as a 3 shot lead over American Steve Stricker who started the day 3 shots ahead of the players equal 3rd which included leading Englishman Paul Broadhurst and South African Ernie Els. Els however has birded the first two and now is only 4 shots off the lead. Tiger Woods was 8 shots behind the leader at the last check and there ae a lot of good players in front of him so he sort of needs a miracle.

Finally I've posted this photo just to remind me I've an appointment at the dentist in the morning.

I'll be back later to check out other blogs.

Back Home

Well I'm now back home all my flights train journeys etc went to plan but it still took over 20 hours from hotel to home so I'm a little knackered to say the least. I've just checked a few e'mails and had a quick glance around a few blogs but I'll catch up later in the week.

I've enjoyed both Boston and Chicago and I'm sure there is every chance I'll return someday, we'll see.

One little story on the trip home I was lucky to get two seats near the emergency exit (more leg room) to myself on the Boston to Manchester flight and sat across from me were aa asian man and women also near the other emergency exit.

Now these two where a little full of themselves from the impression I got straight away don't know why just a gut feeling. Anyway I first noticed when the meals came around they got served first because they had ordered the vegetarian meal. Nothing wrong with that but they opened it, picked it over and decided they didn't like it.

I had chosen the Chicken and Rice which I thought quite tasty so they then asked for that, again opened it up had a nibble and sent it back (must have been vegetarian chicken). The other choice was Beef, Potato and vegetable which I had on the outward flight, again it was nice as far as aircraft meals go but again same procedure eventually sending back.

I thought a bit pathetic as the choice covered quite a range but its them that are going hungry not me. Anyway they where a bit bossy with the attendants all flight which came to a head when we where coming in to land, first the bloke wouldn't fasten his seatbelt and got ticked off by the attendant. He then wanted to store his carry on bag under his seat, now part of the rules in agreeing to an emergency exit seat is you can't store bags on the floor for obvious reasons. Eventually the Attendant virtually made him put his bag on the rack.

Anyway after we landed the two of them decided they wanted to be first off the plane and barged their way to the front again I just thought some people have no manners.

Anyway when I got to security they were a few places in front of me in the line and when they got to the front I just cracked up when they turned out to be not British Passport holders and were in the wrong line. They had to go to the back of the overseas visitors line which of course had filled with everyone else from our flight by this time. Justice some may say.


Finally is anyone else having problems with Blogger "I can't put a title to my last two posts ?"

Extra - I cured the title problem by clicking on the word "Title" instead of in the Box.

Last Day

Today is my last day of my vacation and I seem to have been away ages, I'm really quite tired so just intend to have a relaxing day ready for my long trip home. I'm actually not flying direct to England from Chicago but have to go via Boston where I have a 6 hour stop over, I'm not looking forward to that.

I've been involved sort of with my first emergency situation in the US. I was walking back to my hotel about midnight on Thursday night when a bloke collapsed in the street about 50 yards in front of me. Just before I got there another bloke arrived and we tried to revive him, he was breathing but out cold. The other chap who I think was a doorman from a hotel phoned for an ambulance but before it arrived a Police car drove by so I waved it down and they came to assist. The thing that shocked me was the number of people who just walked by without offering to help.
Anyway the Police took over so I moved on so don't know what happend after that.

Talking coincidence the following night I was walking back and passed some steps where a girl was been comforted and they where waiting for an ambulance. Looked like she had slipped on the steps and was been comforted by her boyfriend and a couple of other people.

I've even had a accident myself I was walking around my hotel room in bare feet getting ready to go out when I accidently kicked a table leg with my little toe, It didn't half hurt and it actually bled from under the nail. It seems ok now but I thought I'd broke my toe at first.

Enough of accidents I've seen some great music here in Chicago and also ate a lot of fantastic food there seems more than ever great places to eat. I had a massive lump of steak the other night but to be honest although nice it wasn't cooked enough for my liking. I asked for medium but it was definatelf undercooked in fact I reckon a good Vet could have got it walking again.

I've met some great people and talking of great Women I can actually say I've seen a perfect 10 and got a photo to prove it. Yep Nadia Commanech the Romanian gymnast who scored the perfect score in the 1986 Olympics (I think) was at the Taste of Chicago giving out autographs. Apparently Chicago is bidding for the 2016 Oympics and she is on their organising committee.

Anyway thats enough for now I hope everyone is well and I'll catch up with all of your blogs when I get home.

Hello

Well I've now been in Chicago since Monday and just managed to find somewhere to get on the net and do a post. I enjoyed Boston its a nice place with some good people and I've maybe a few more tales to tell.
Talking of nice people on my last day I decided to do a walk along the Charles river so got the subway to the Science Museum (which is on the river). Anyway our train was taken out of service at the stop before so I was waiting on the platform for another train when a lady with two young girls came up and asked if I knew if you could walk to the museum (she must have thought I was local). Anyway I explained I was from England but had a map so got it out and we had a look, as she was deciding whether to walk a train arrived so we got on. But before boarding one of her girls (aged about 7) came up to me on her own iniatitiveand said "Thank you for trying to help us". I thought that was so nice for a young child to do that she was obviously been brought up with good manners.

Monday was my first day in Chicago and on that night I first went to Fado for a couple of Beers and some food got talking to a couple from Kentucky mainly the wife he seemed a little grumpy. Anyway I later went to a Blues Club and suggested they came along she was up for it but he wasn't so I left them argueing and didn't see them again, so I think he won the debate. When I squared up for my Tab at Fado's the barmaid that I'd been having a bit of banter with threatened to shoot me with a squeezy bottle if I left, so I had to duck on my way out and promised to return.

Tuesday and Wednesday I visited to Taste of Chicago and the crowds have been even bigger than last year, star act last night was John Mayer but I left before he came on, you couldn't get anyway near the Big Screen never mind the stage. I've seen some good acts on the other stages its been a lot of fun so far, eaten and drank too much though.

Tuesday Night I got back to the hotel late so I just had a light snack in the hotel bar got talking to a few folk in there, They were a bit upper class Americans and we had a bit of debate about American Independance. Obviously I pointed out if we had our proper army on duty at the time not a few reserveists we would have won. I'll point out the proper army were sorting out the French in Europe at the time.

Last night I found another Irish Pub "The Kerryman" and had a real good night after eating a couple of nice young ladies sat next to me. It turned out to be one of their birthdays so a few shots were going around, I was careful not to have too many though. When the girls eventually moved on I got talking with a couple of Irish lads, one of which was so difficult to understand with his access, apparently they didn't know each other had just met in the previous Pub.
A group of three Irish Ladies came in and one of the Lads I was with saud ask her if she is from Tipperary, I asked how he knew and it was because she had a Tipperary Rugby Shirt on. So I asked and she asked how I knew, of course I said its because all Tipperary Girls have a nice smile, we all laughed a bit and cracked a few jokes the rest of the night.

Today I'm going to hire a Bike this morning and ride North along the Lakeshore for a change then maybe have a couple of hours at the Taste this afternoon. Tonight I'm debating on whether to do another Blues Club or go to a Piano Bar, I'll see.

Hope you are all well I'll catch up with your blogs when I can.

On the Road again

One week today I'll be on my travels again and I'm really looking forward to my next trip. I'll be travelling to Manchester next Friday staying over at Bewleys Hotel my usual spot before catching the Morning flight to Boston.
Its my first visit to Boston but two of my blog friends Jenny and Rachel have told me how good it is and I'm really looking forward to my visit.
I don't know too much about the City nightlife so I'll have to do a bit of exploring on that front but apparently there is plenty of good bars so it should be fun.
I'll try to do a lot of walking for the exercise and its the best way to see a city anyway, I'll certainly walk the Freedom trail.
Another thing I intend to do is catch the Ferry to Provincetown at Cape Cod where you can hire a bike to explore that part of the world.

I'll be staying nine nights in Boston before flying on to Chicago for a further seven nights. Its during the Taste of Chicago festival and I've visited this in both 2005 & 2006 and really enjoy it. It is all about Music and Food so a lot of fun.
Some of the acts on at the Taste include John Mayer, Black Crows, Cheap Trick, and Los Lonely Boys. There is always a lot of excellent local talent also on show.
I'm checking whats on at some of the Blues & Jazz clubs (gotta visit these in Chicago) for evening entertainment and just about getting my hectic schedule together.

In Boston I'll be staying at the Milner Hotel which is in the Theatre District and fairly close to Boston Common and Freedom Trail. In Chicago I'm staying at the Seneca Hotel which is close to Hancock Tower and Michegan Avenue. Both Hotels provide a Breakfast so thats a bonus.

I'm sure I'll tell you all about my trip.