Chicago

A few weeks back we decided that this weekend we would go to Chicago for a quick family getaway. Even though we are only five hours away I had only been here once, and it was just in passing. It was about 13 years ago, before I moved to Cincinnati, and I didn't even spend the night. So needless to say, this visit was way overdue.

My family has a history with this town, since my parents lived here for three years in the early seventies, and my sister was born here before they decided that life in the big city and with long harsh winters just wasn't for them. Since they moved away thirty something years ago my parents have never been back. They have now lived in Cincinnati for five years and every summer we've talked about bringing them with us, but for one reason or another they have always declined.

We are now driving back home, but we had a great time. It really is a nice city, with something for everyone. And we have some funny stories, the kind that only come about when you get out of your routine, when you say "Yes" to something new without being stopped by the inconveniences of it all.

We wish my parents had come with us, but we also know parts of the trip would have been plain awful for them. We were happy they were not here on Saturday, when the weather was so hot and humid that you could barely breathe. Or when we had to wait for our rooms because somehow our reservation was nowhere to be found. They probably wouldn't have enjoyed it either when we walked around on Saturday night looking for a place to eat, only to come back to the restaurant at the hotel because everything was very crowed, with three hour waits. But above all, I think the worst moment for my mom would have been when the girls and I went to the bathroom of a small dive, after almost finishing our food, only to find a live cucaracha walking around. As for my dad, I think the waits and the crowds would have been his least favorite part.

On the other hand, I think they would have loved being back. After all, that was their home for a little while. They probably would have enjoyed seeing what has changed, and what - despite the decades - has remained intact. I think they would have loved the boat tour, which was very low key but allowed us to learn more about the city, enjoy the views, and took us to late Michigan. I thought a lot about them when we went to the Sears tower, apparently now officially called Willis tower, and the introduction video told us that construction on the tower was completed in 1973. My parents were still living in Chicago at the time, and I wondered if they knew about the tower, if it was a big deal for everybody in town, or if they were so busy going about their routine to even notice or care.

The girls had a bunch of firsts. They went on a boat for the first time, on a taxi for the first time, and obviously they were in Chicago for the very first time as well. Even though we were not here long enough to explore the city beyond walking around, they enjoyed getting out of the routine. And Sofia is now old enough to understand the concept of traveling, to learn fun facts about the places we visit, and to behave - for the most part.

All in all this weekend Chicago was nice to us. And what a better way to be grateful, than to plan to come back again.