Chicago: Just like New York, only better

People who know me know how much I love Chicago. Im excited to be going there once again this week to celebrate the 4th of July with friends and family. Well, really, in Chicago it's the 3rd of July as they get the festivities started a whole day earlier by having their fireworks display then. While it does get amazingly cold there in the winter, the summer is the perfect time for a visit to the windy city. There's beaches, parks, museums, lots of sports and even more food.

The best part is that it's lke going to New York with half the battle. It's much more walkable, the people are much more pleasant, and the general atmosphere is much more laid back. On top of that, there are plenty of excellent side trips to places like Wilmette to give some respite to the city life. If you're traveling with the kids be sure to check out the Navy Pier, the Shed Aquarium, the Field Museum, and don't forget to visit the "Bean" which is always a guaranteed kid pleaser.

If you're into shopping, check out Water Tower Place. It's a great shopping center right off of Michigan Avenue with all the famous stores you're looking for. If it's food you're looking for there's not many places better than Chicago. There's a restaurant for pretty much everything and there's a good range of options between the high end swank and low priced family fare.

So, if you're looking to visit a big city with a small town atmosphere, head to Chicago. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Where'd I go?

Wow slacked off there lol. Sorry!!!! That second week in China was just so draining and, now that we're back, Im even more drained.

So the last week we went to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors and to Gui Lin which is quite possibly the most beautiful place Ive ever seen. Just gorgeous with an almost unnatural beauty. After that we headed back to Beijing for all of about 18 hours, squeezing in a visit to the Lama Temple which was awesome, and then it was back to the states. Oh and to work the very next day. OUCH!!

So overall I would say the trip was good but really I ended up having a bit of a love hate relationship with it. I LOVED seeing all the sights. They were just amazing. I didnt love the dirt, smog, congestion, and cleanliness issues that come with going to China. In the end, I loved it but at the same time, Im not in a hurry to go back. I'd go back to Gui Lin and Shanghai maybe but probably not with Maya.

As for Maya, well, let's just say China wasn't on her list of favorites. I think it was just too much for her. Too much to look at, too many things she couldn't do (for safety reasons), too many people wanting her picture. I think it was just overload and that combined with turning 5 soon (and thus knowing the answer to life, the universe, and everything) it was just too much. I'm STILL battling with her some even now that we're back at home. I think she's maybe still adjusting. OK I'm HOPING she's still adjusting. The good news is that she seems very happy to hear that our next international destination, Tunisia, is probably going to be a lot like Turkey. I really think she wishes all of our trips could just be to Turkey because she loved it there. Oh well. Hopefully we can get back into a more normal system and she can be normal again. Please, please be normal again :p

Don't forget to check out Josh's gorgeous pics! You can find them here:

Beijing

Shanghai

Xian

Gui Lin

Shanghai: China for the Sheepish

If you're concerned about traveling too far out of your comfort zone but would like to visit Asia, I have a place for you and it's called Shanghai. Glitzy, modern, fresh and familiar, Shanghai is the place to go if you want to experience China but not feel too much like you're in the twilight zone. We arrived here yesterday and are staying in the Daning area of Shanghai. We are right across the street from a huge western influenced pedestrian shopping area. When I walk outside I feel like Im right back at home. Usually, I shy away from these kinds of places when we're on travel and enjoy fully immersing myself in the local culture of wherever we are. I have to say though, it's nice to have at least 2 days of home away from home before we head off for the more out of the way areas of Xi'an and Guilin.

Downtown Shanghai is reminiscent of London and New York with huge shopping areas, lots of skyscrapers and beautiful museums. If you took away the signs in Mandarin you wouldn't know you were in China. Shanghai boasts a whopping 6,000 skyscrapers as well as the famous strip known as The Bund. Heavily influenced by it's past ties with the English and French, Shanghai is a modern city with it's eye on the future. Despite being treated as a bit of a step child in 70s and 80s, it is making a resurgence as China's premiere city for foreign travelers.

Of course, all of this could possibly be influenced by my euphoria after getting the most amazing hour long foot massage downstairs in the spa for the horrifically low price of $30 USD. At least there's one place in the world where the dollar is worth something!