Looking out over Chicago

Drew Mitchell is an Australian Rugby Union player.  Lou Mitchell's is a diner around the corner from our hostel in Greek Town.  To date it is the best breakfast we have had in the United States.

A real diner.

After this culinary delight we made our way north east, making for the John Hancock Center.

We kept wondering if "Drake Sold Out" was the name of the show.

We passed the MCA again on our way up and found a fresh food market, which was a delightful surprise.  I always feel bad about bitching while I'm on a massive holiday, but getting fresh food is a real hassle on the road.  This was a great find.

Fruit!

We had picked up 2-for-one vouchers for the John Hancock Center, so it was a very reasonable morning out.

The John Hancock Center in Lego.

As an experience it crapped all over the Empire State Building in NYC.  The JHC experience included a free audio tour, recorded by David Schwimmer, which was just as irritating as it sounds.  It was also very informative.

East

South

West

North

We went for a wander down Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, making for Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago.

A swarthy man in Lego

The weather was perfect, so we snapped a bunch of photos in the park.

A big silver thing at Millennium Park

The big silver bean.

That evening we caught up with my father's cousin, Fiona, and her family.  They took us to Piece in Damen.  Fiona clearly knows the appetites of twenty-something Australians well, as Piece is a fantastic pizzeria/brewery.

No really, I'll get the large

Fiona, Ray and Dana were great company.  Dana and Ray introduced us to 'white pizza,' made with garlic sauce in lieu of tomato.

Dana holding dessert.  Which I ate.

Fiona takes the Talk and the Skeptic through some must-sees

Ray and Dana with the remains of the white pizza.

Afterwards Ray suggested we check out a bar called Cans (pronounced 'Cairns') where there was a trivia night in action.  We were too late to take part, and irritated other patrons by shouting the answers to general knowledge questions.  It was a good last night in Chicago.

Viewing Wien

The Liar and I used our first day in Wien to do what we do best; wander.  We made our way from the hostel (near Westbahnhof, for those playing at home) up to the museum quarter, where I slowed the pace significantly.  I wanted to take a photo of... well, everything.  Wien is a very pretty city, and it likes showing off for cameras.

I'm completely baffled by the statue we found in the middle of the museums.  While I took notes on the names of all the pedestrian and equestrian dudes around the base, I have no idea who the bird on top is.

She looks a lot like Queen Victoria, or at least to the eyes of an uneducated Australian she looks like Queen Victoria (the Liar agrees), we couldn't work out what the heck Queen Victoria would be doing in Wien.  Maybe they were just way into her.  Please leave your answers in the comments section.

There was also a tiny statue of an elephant.  No, wait, the statue was quite big.  It was a large statue of a tiny elephant.  I think.  It didn't have a name on it, but it was cute as a button.

The back streets of Vienna were gorgeous, filled with strange and exciting stores and people.

Knowing nothing about architecture, I can't give you any details about them, but the buildings really are grand.

Some of the Engrish is also fun.

Just near our hostel was my favourite statue of the trip so far.  These chaps commemorate something that the 49th Infantry did at a black lake I think (my German is very shaky).

That night we rolled down to Mafiosi Pizza, where for 5 euro-squids you can buy a pizza which is bigger than your head.  I ate mine, and finished the Liars, then walked home hating myself.

Back at the hostel the Liar balanced all of his change on end, despite my constant interference.  I promised I would take a photo.

The next day I took 480 photos at the arms and armour museum, and around the town.  I'm going to break that day into a few different posts.