Chinatown...

I have probably driven to Chicago at least four times in the past year or so to visit Katie, Peter, Wallace and now their new addition to the family Hamish. While the pandemic was at it's height of infection dangers and death I often felt safer on a visit because most indoor activity was shut down and mask compliance was 100%. Back home in Texas, at least rural Texas, mask wearing could be spotty and the right to gather in groups seemed to take precedents over life itself.  

It seems things are opening up in Chicago as evidenced by this shot of a Chinatown street with many people, some wearing masks, others adhering to new CDC guidelines advising vaccinated, healthy adults that it's ok, especially outdoors to remove the mask. This is quite a difference than our April visit when even Millennium Park down along the lake front was quite empty. The Park, like these Chinatown streets, was full of people enjoying the sunshine this past weekend 

I think I might slip into town sometime and lay up at the Chinatown Hotel. It is described as a two star place, quiet and low key with a suite renting for $84. Parking is an extra $15 with only one entrance permitted but even though it's not mentioned in the amenities if you come to lay up with a pipe of opium you could probably get to them on this fee.   

The streets are lined with good looking restaurants. I've eaten at some of these during other visits. Katie and Peter live near here in a largely Asian neighborhood and this time we ate there before our Chinatown visit. I had pork and shrimp with curry rice noodles even though hand pull noodle seems to be a favorite.  

There are lots of dixieland tunes that mention China in the title an they are meant to rouse our curiosity in exotic cultures not of our own.