Had another beautiful day in Chicago today. After an unsettled night with a couple of nightmares, I had a good lie-in and a late breakfast. Then I went back into town and walked round the "Magnificent Mile". Was delighted to stumble across a really good bookshop - even better, I found a copy of the "Illuminatus Trilogy" - one of my favourite books which had got lost in the move to my flat. So now I can re-read that as I'm travelling along, which will be a great boon.
Following lunch (burger again I'm afraid !) I went for a walk down the Chicago River Walkway and ended up at the Harbour area there. I sat and read for some time, and it was very relaxing in the shade. You walk besides all these massive skyscrapers and then all of a sudden you're by Lake Michigan. Then it was back via the Red and Blue lines and here I am in the hotel again.
I see that England were knocked out by France in the rugby. I'm not surprised as France have very strong three-quarters, and I always say that wingplay makes the difference in a game. We just scraped by in the football (or "soccer" as I should call it out here), so that's something.
I've just started a book on Gram Parsons, which is very promsing and a true American tragedy if there ever was one. Parsons is one of the giants of American music, and at least two of his albums - "The Gilded Palace of Sin" and "Grievous Angel" - are masterpieces of the form. He had so much talent, yet was destroyed by his privileged Southern background and all the problems in his family. He really had everything - even The Rolling Stones looked up to him - yet couldn't keep himself together. A great, great, musician though.
After two days going round the city I'm getting hungry for the road now. Tomorrow I head for St. Louis, then two nights in Nashville, followed by three in Memphis. This will be the real heart of the journey - a voyage right to the centre of where it all began that day in 1954 when Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studios in Memphis. I've dreamed of going to Memphis since my teens, and now I'm going to get to do it !
Off now for a swim and a beer. They do a lovely tap version of Newcastkle Brown here which I think is nicer than the original. Might not blog tomorrow as I'll just be stopping over in St Louis in as cheap a place as I can find.
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