B100: Windy City 2004

21/3/2023

I hope you all enjoyed a great St. Patrick’s weekend. It was lovely here in Dublin…as my mother used to say “March many weathers”. It was great to see so many visitors to the city for the festivities and the Big Parade. This week’s blog is about a different Parade that I saw in Chicago, Illinois on 13 March 2004 (in Chicago the Parade is held on the Saturday before March 17th).

I had the privilege of visiting Chicago on a work related trip in the 1990’s staying at a hotel on near Wacker Drive going to Navy Pier, touring the lakeshore along Lake Michigan, seeing Sears Tower and the Hancock Building, touring Wrigley Field and enjoying fab music at night at Blue Chicago jazz and blues club. This time out, in March 2004, I was travelling with my friend Ailish to stay with her brother John and his family in their (then) home in Glenview. The weather was cold and there was snow on the ground some of the days.

Above & Below: Glenview near Chicago - 16 March 2004

We enjoyed a bit of retail therapy on the Magnificent Mile of more than 450 retailers, including major department stores; international designers and boutiques; and shopping centres. We also stocked up at the numerous fashion outlet stores. I also enjoyed seeing the “L”, Chicago’s elevated rail line as I used to see it on “ER” one of my favourite TV shows.

Passing under the "L", Chicago - 13 March 2004

ER - a favourite tv show that often featured the "L"

One of the evenings, we went for a meal in a restaurant high up in the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower). We marvelled at the traffic snaking its way by on the streets below. The view was stunning.

Above: Willis Tower then Sears Tower; Below: View from Sears Tower

But the highlight of the trip was the St. Patrick’s Day Parade firstly seeing the Chicago River dyed green.

Us viewing the green Chicago River - 13 March 2004

In the Parade, we watched some great marching school bands, Irish dancers on gorgeous costumes and a number of floats and displays. It was very enjoyable and I was bemused by the restaurants serving corned beef and cabbage and the bars serving green beer. I had never eaten corned beef until about 15 years ago in Dublin when Charlie cooked it for me. And in Ireland a Guinness drinker would be scandalised at the thought of anyone dyeing his “pint of the black stuff” green! But anyhow we entered into the spirit of the day and had a ball.