Showing posts with label Union Station Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Union Station Chicago. Show all posts

Monday, December 31, 2012

 Union Station is pretty at night.  We went up Sunday evening to fetch Margaret.
It has the Grand Hall on the west side of Canal St.  The east side of Canal St., downstairs, has the trains.  When we dropped Margaret off Union Station was available to stroll around.  People were taking pictures and resting on benches waiting for trains.  On the return trip  it was blocked off due to a big ole shin dig going on.  It was called something like Eve of the Eve party.  It appeared to be a black tie event with men and women dressed to the nines.  The above picture shows just a portion of the line to the ladies room.  The other half of the line is inside the restroom.  Here is the funny part.  Because this kind of stuff happens to me.   This line is not on the west side of Canal St. where the Grand Hall is....it is on the train side.  These lovely ladies traipsed as best as they could over to the restroom at the Metra line. (they needed to make sure they could walk in their new high heels before going out in them) It seemed funny to me.  Here is something even funnier....see that leg in the blue jeans towards the front of the line.  It's mine.  I was standing in line with scads of dressed up woman.  No two dresses were the same. The less material used the better, apparently.  And then there was me.  Talk about not fittin' in.   But you know what....I was pretty happy I didn't fit in.  I looked at each woman as she walked by....looked right in her eyes....because when you are waiting on a train after a five hour drive late at night.....you become bold and daring like that.  (ha).   Their eyes were empty and hollow.  They didn't seem happy deep inside.  They made me sad.  I felt sorry for them.  But I can't blame them for wanting to attend a party inside the top picture.  It's really pretty.
Until next time.
Happy New Year.



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

 We drove in on the Skyway.
 Apparently it costs $3.50 regardless how far you drive on it.
 Lake Michigan on a cold day.
 Soldier Field where the Chicago Bears play.
Building out on Navy Pier.
 The pillars at Union Station.  Nothing less than impressive.
 Walk into the station, go down a flight of stairs into the great hall, then on down more stairs to the East to the Metra station and the Amtrak Station.
 Our daughter grabbed her bags and hopped on the California Zephyr.
 The train was backed in and she texted and said she was on this last car.

 We walked in under those pillars and came out on the other side of
Canal St.

 We came out from underneath the building on the left.
 Station is under here.
 This was an elevated train that we saw on the way back to Lake Shore Drive.
 Part of the city in the distance.
Driving east on Jackson.