United States Of America

[Blue and Proud]

I really fancy taking the missus to Chicago spending a few days there then exploring other areas on the train or maybe car for about 2 weeks in Sep/Oct. Any suggestions for where to go/what to do in this part of USA?

My wife's friends and family come over pretty regularly so ill mention stuff weve done with them they seem into . In Chicago I'd say peaquod's for pizza, outside of downtown but not far. Also it's not as great of a view but it's free minus drinks , there's a bar in the Hancock building I think on the 95th or 96th floor , great views though . Most out of towners who I've showed around liked it more than the sears tower . If you have a car id recommend a trip to Milwaukee . A brewers baseball game I prefer to either Chicago team , and the atmosphere is pretty dead at wrigley the past few years . Food/drink is cheaper and there's a better variety , they have a retractable roof and there's a pretty good amount of restaurants/ bars in Milwaukee . The lakefront Up there is pretty nice as well. There's 2 decent outlet malls on the way up. Not sure if that's your thing but an outlet mall I was just at in Orlando was probably 75% filled with English people so I figured I'd mention it. Tons of good bars and clubs here.. So whatever you're into you'll find pretty easy.They do an architecture boat tour of downtown Chicago that people seem to really like. Definitely check a bulls game if you can , or at least the Jordan statue outside of the united center . Navy pier and the museums are also pretty good. The science and industry one which is 5 miles or so from downtown is usually pretty incredible. it's kind of just a fast food place but check out portillos , everyone seems to love it that tries it though . There's a ton of stuff besides this I just can't think of anything right now, and I'm sure the grammar on this is horrible as I was typing trying to drive home , but if you need help or have any Chicago related questions let me know .

Thanks rick, much appreciated. I love the States and been to a few places already (Florida, Vegas, NYC, Boston). Chicago is definately on the list of places to go.

 

[No6]

Is it a coincidence that the great places you've been are all blue below? (disclaimer: not actually checked the validity of my statement but I think the majority of places the OP mentioned reside within the blue states on the map, ie are moderate, metropolitan, liberal. In other words not occupied by Cleatus and his redneck extended family) :

 

[scenecreamer]

Is it a coincidence that the great places you've been are all blue below? (disclaimer: not actually checked the validity of my statementbut I think the majority of places the OP mentioned reside within the blue states on the map, ie are moderate, metropolitan, liberal. In other words not occupied by Cleatus and his redneck extended family) :

Is that a sly way of saying that you aren't actually sure of the location of the places OP mentions because you can't find them on the map?

 

[CBlue]

The US is OK but it's not a patch on Canada. "Free" health care & you can actually visit Cuba & spend money there - this isn't available in the land of the free!

 

[metalblue]

As someone said, America is a very big country, and no doubt there are lots of good people there. But what binds this vast nation together is a manufactured national identity that is completely superficial. Scratch the surface and there's no substance to what America thinks it stands for. Take freedom, for example? It doesn't even apply to their own citizens.

I believe it does, to a greater extent than almost anywhere on earth that comes to mind. I am reminded by Sky Sports News every day that I am glad I do not currently live in a country where the term "choc ice" can be held against you. The First Amendment might be one of the greatest pieces of writing ever written! I exercise it every day!

That so called freedom isn't universal...I have witnessed discrimination exercised with total aplomb as if it is perfectly natural and normal...if my choices are to live in a country where that is deemed acceptable versus a country that bans the use of certain words in case of offence, whilst I may not agree with it I'd take that any day of the week. Tell me why is it a country needs an amendment to it's constituation to stop it behaving like a dickhead towards its fellow man based on the colour of their skin? (and I am not saying the UK is some beacon of decency and beyond reproach but then we are not trying to sell ourselves as the "land of the free") It's obviously not all one way traffic but, at the least, it's a country of contradiction.

The united bit of the USA depends on jingoism, of which Hollywood style ( temporary, empty but very visible) hero worship and a collective enemy are essential components.

I don't disagree that it is "played on" by certain entities, but the level of pride taken by Americans in being an American is a sight to behold. While some here think it is cheesy to have 60,000 people stand, put their hand on heart, turn to the flag, and sing the National Anthem, I think it is an unbelievably GOOD THING and I am proud to do it.

Yet bizzarely America is a country that appears to struggle for identity, no one appears to be just American, the are Anglo-, Afro-, Irish-, Italian- and so on and so forth. No one seems to want to be just American.

My posts may appear I am being anti-American or dislike the people/place but that is not the case...great country, great people. I am critical of its, IMO, inability to recognise and accept the myth of "land of the free" or conduct any meaningful critical analysis as a nation...not so much on the "big ticket" items but how things are carried out in day to day living for many of its citizens.

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

As someone said, America is a very big country, and no doubt there are lots of good people there. But what binds this vast nation together is a manufactured national identity that is completely superficial. Scratch the surface and there's no substance to what America thinks it stands for. Take freedom, for example? It doesn't even apply to their own citizens.

I believe it does, to a greater extent than almost anywhere on earth that comes to mind. I am reminded by Sky Sports News every day that I am glad I do not currently live in a country where the term "choc ice" can be held against you. The First Amendment might be one of the greatest pieces of writing ever written! I exercise it every day!

That so called freedom isn't universal...I have witnessed discrimination exercised with total aplomb as if it is perfectly natural and normal...if my choices are to live in a country where that is deemed acceptable versus a country that bans the use of certain words in case of offence, whilst I may not agree with it I'd take that any day of the week. Tell me why is it a country needs an amendment to it's constituation to stop it behaving like a dickhead towards its fellow man based on the colour of their skin? (and I am not saying the UK is some beacon of decency and beyond reproach but then we are not trying to sell ourselves as the "land of the free") It's obviously not all one way traffic but, at the least, it's a country of contradiction.

The united bit of the USA depends on jingoism, of which Hollywood style ( temporary, empty but very visible) hero worship and a collective enemy are essential components.

I don't disagree that it is "played on" by certain entities, but the level of pride taken by Americans in being an American is a sight to behold. While some here think it is cheesy to have 60,000 people stand, put their hand on heart, turn to the flag, and sing the National Anthem, I think it is an unbelievably GOOD THING and I am proud to do it.

Yet bizzarely America is a country that appears to struggle for identity, no one appears to be just American, the are Anglo-, Afro-, Irish-, Italian- and so on and so forth. No one seems to want to be just American.

My posts may appear I am being anti-American or dislike the people/place but that is not the case...great country, great people. I am critical of its, IMO, inability to recognise and accept the myth of "land of the free" or conduct any meaningful critical analysis as a nation...not so much on the "big ticket" items but how things are carried out in day to day living for many of its citizens.

That is generally more an east coast and Californian trait

 

[metalblue]

That is generally more an east coast and Californian trait

I think that's probably a fair point mate.

 

[scenecreamer]

I believe it does, to a greater extent than almost anywhere on earth that comes to mind. I am reminded by Sky Sports News every day that I am glad I do not currently live in a country where the term "choc ice" can be held against you. The First Amendment might be one of the greatest pieces of writing ever written! I exercise it every day!

That so called freedom isn't universal...I have witnessed discrimination exercised with total aplomb as if it is perfectly natural and normal...if my choices are to live in a country where that is deemed acceptable versus a country that bans the use of certain words in case of offence, whilst I may not agree with it I'd take that any day of the week. Tell me why is it a country needs an amendment to it's constituation to stop it behaving like a dickhead towards its fellow man based on the colour of their skin? (and I am not saying the UK is some beacon of decency and beyond reproach but then we are not trying to sell ourselves as the "land of the free") It's obviously not all one way traffic but, at the least, it's a country of contradiction.

I don't disagree that it is "played on" by certain entities, but the level of pride taken by Americans in being an American is a sight to behold. While some here think it is cheesy to have 60,000 people stand, put their hand on heart, turn to the flag, and sing the National Anthem, I think it is an unbelievably GOOD THING and I am proud to do it.

Yet bizzarely America is a country that appears to struggle for identity, no one appears to be just American, the are Anglo-, Afro-, Irish-, Italian- and so on and so forth. No one seems to want to be just American.

My posts may appear I am being anti-American or dislike the people/place but that is not the case...great country, great people. I am critical of its, IMO, inability to recognise and accept the myth of "land of the free" or conduct any meaningful critical analysis as a nation...not so much on the "big ticket" items but how things are carried out in day to day living for many of its citizens.

That is generally more an east coast and Californian trait

The Midwest is littered with towns, often very small, that are extremely proud of their heritage. Farming communities started by Dutch, Czech, German, etc immigrants still celebrate that heritage with pride. The US is a relatively young country made of a multitude of ethnicities which have not been forgotten.

The US does not struggle for a national identity. Our identity is one of multiculturalism. One does not claim to be Afro-, Irish-, Native-, etc out of feelings of inadequacy. It is out of respect and pride of a families heritage. To suggest otherwise is extremely disrespectful. The land of the free and the home of the brave is a reference to the persecution and oppression many immigrants came here to escape. It has nothing to do with bragging about some delusional image of ourselves.

 

[metalblue]

That so called freedom isn't universal...I have witnessed discrimination exercised with total aplomb as if it is perfectly natural and normal...if my choices are to live in a country where that is deemed acceptable versus a country that bans the use of certain words in case of offence, whilst I may not agree with it I'd take that any day of the week. Tell me why is it a country needs an amendment to it's constituation to stop it behaving like a dickhead towards its fellow man based on the colour of their skin? (and I am not saying the UK is some beacon of decency and beyond reproach but then we are not trying to sell ourselves as the "land of the free") It's obviously not all one way traffic but, at the least, it's a country of contradiction.



Yet bizzarely America is a country that appears to struggle for identity, no one appears to be just American, the are Anglo-, Afro-, Irish-, Italian- and so on and so forth. No one seems to want to be just American.

My posts may appear I am being anti-American or dislike the people/place but that is not the case...great country, great people. I am critical of its, IMO, inability to recognise and accept the myth of "land of the free" or conduct any meaningful critical analysis as a nation...not so much on the "big ticket" items but how things are carried out in day to day living for many of its citizens.

That is generally more an east coast and Californian trait

The Midwest is littered with towns, often very small, that are extremely proud of their heritage. Farming communities started by Dutch, Czech, German, etc immigrants still celebrate that heritage with pride. The US is a relatively young country made of a multitude of ethnicities which have not been forgotten.

The US does not struggle for a national identity. Our identity is one of multiculturalism. One does not claim to be Afro-, Irish-, Native-, etc out of feelings of inadequacy. It is out of respect and pride of a families heritage. To suggest otherwise is extremely disrespectful. The land of the free and the home of the brave is a reference to the persecution and oppression many immigrants came here to escape. It has nothing to do with bragging about some delusional image of ourselves.

I'd respectfully suggest that to see symbolic ethinicty as something universally enjoyed is probably flawed. For whites you have a point that it can be seen as being respectful towards their origins but for non-whites it has been shown to have the inverse effect and is found to be both irrelevant and disrespecful. Nonetheless it doesn't really answer the question as to why a 4th/5th generation immigrant would choose to refer to themselves by ethinicty but it might be little more than a family tradition. You make the point that America doesn't struggle with a national identity, I'm not so sure, and maybe given the diverse mix of people having a single national identity might prove impossible.

I take on board the point the historical perspective of "land of the free" although I personally don't see it as being universally applicable today.

 

[rick773]

Is it a coincidence that the great places you've been are all blue below? (disclaimer: not actually checked the validity of my statement but I think the majority of places the OP mentioned reside within the blue states on the map, ie are moderate, metropolitan, liberal. In other words not occupied by Cleatus and his redneck extended family) :

Id bet /hope the areas that have done things like vote BNP members into local government aren't tourist hot spots either. How can someone be moderate and liberal anyway?I'm not defending those areas and wouldn't be opposed to giving the south back to you guys and probably just bombing Arizona , but I'm not sure what point the map is making?
The way some people post in this thread you'd think England was a liberal utopia free of any of the problems America has , when basically they're exactly the same .