Chicago - St. Louis

It has been a while since we have been able to get online. Prices were very high in Chicago and it seems that there are no internet cafes here in St. Louis. Updates may become more sporadic as we head south, so bare with us.
The night bus to Chicago went a lot smoother than the one to Buffalo but was no more comfortable. We arrived at 9.30 am and took a taxi from the Greyhound station south of the city to our hostel in the leafy Lincoln Park district in the north. Many of the people staying at our hostel were in town for the Chicago marathon, we didn't envy them one bit not least because temperatures didn't rise much above 3 degrees centigrade whilst we were there. After taking some time to unpack we headed downtown in the direction of the "Magnificent Mile" Chicago's biggest and most ostentatious shopping district. Some of the city's oldest buildings sit amongst highrise skyscrapers, exclusive boutiques and larger chain stores. That evening we went to a pizza parlor called Pizano's, one of the many establishments which claims to have invented Chicago's famous pizza pie. It seems that everyone's Mama had a simular recipe, but we're not complaining. Soon after eating we retired to our hostel. Nightbuses are a great money saving ploy but the chances of getting any sleep on them are slim to none.
The next morning we walked further south in order to cross the river into the centre of town known as The Loop. We visited the Museum of Contemporary Art which currently houses an exhibit that attempts to highlight the importance of design in the modern world. Therein were many examples of new technologies including a windup laptop that costs just $200 to make and allows wireless access to the internet. The potential for this to be used to allow every child in the world a chance to learn online is an awesome prospect.
On the banks of the river are the Chicago Tribune building and the Wrigley building. These impressive structures are great examples of the massive gothic architecture which is a feature of the older parts of downtown Chicago. Each of the tallest buildings has an observation deck but we decided we'd save our money for the tallest, the Sears Tower. Before taking the lift 103 stories up we were shown a short film. The tower took just 3 years to construct and in it's time was the tallest in the world. Unfortunately for Sears they only managed to hold onto the tower for another 14 years before they were forced to downsize and relocate. It is now only the third tallest building in the world but as they were keen to mention it does still house the world's largest antenna at it's summit. The views from the Skydeck were awesome. The city sprawls out on three of the four sides whilst the other looks out over the impossibly large Lake Michigan. Whilst we were up there the sun began to set and lights came on all over the city, it was an awe-inspiring sight.
After sampling another of Mama's secret recipes at Giordano's we went to Andy's Jazz Club on Hubbard Street. A band called Texas Fire were playing an extended set of classic jazz tunes that kept us thoroughly entertained until the early hours. It was a great chance to sample some authentic jazz and we plan to see as much live music as we can on our way down South. The next day we booked another Greyhound that would take as all the way across the rest of Illinois to St.Louis, Missouri.
The hostel we are currently staying in is pretty rundown but has a certain charm that is a great relief after the big city. It is situated in the Soulard district in the old French Quarter east of the city centre. Most things are within walking distance but the layout is a little more hard to navigate on foot than some of the other places we have visited. Missouri is a gun-toting state and it amuses is us everytime we enter a public building and are reminded by certain signs that we must leave our weapons outside.
We have arrived here at a momentous time in the city's history, their baseball team the St. Louis Cardinals are in the final of the World Series. They currently lead the Detroit Tigers by 2 games to nil and are expected to clinch the title by winning the next game. The whole city is getting into the spirit, many of the fountains have red dye in them symbolising the Cardinals team colours and banners and merchandise are everywhere. We were in town for the final game last night but unfortunately it was called off due to poor weather conditions. Nevertheless it was great to see how enthusiastic they are about it, with whole family's young and old alike coming out to support their team.
Yesterday we visited the Gateway Arch a massive monument that towers over the city symbolising the border between the East and West United States. St. Louis is also the gateway to the South as the Missouri, Illinois and Mississippi river all converge here. This fact holds symbolic significance for us at it means that we are at a literal crossroads in our expedition and are on the verge of seeing a completely different side of the States. We will most likely spend a couple more days in St. Louis before heading on to Memphis.