A week in Chicago is hard to recover from. My head is still spinning from all the sights and sounds, but it's not that I have nothing to show for it! Yes, I made it my mission in Chicago to seek out rats.
All big cities have rats, it's a given. I was certain that I'd see them scurrying everywhere, in alleyways, along the subway tracks. Unfortunantly, Chicago is a surprisingly clean, well kept city, and my rat sightings were restricted to a brief glimpse while I was wandering somewhat lost at about five in the morning. I'm sure if I were braver and had dared to go into the dirtier parts of Chicago at a later time I may have seen more, but as it was I made do with rats of the inanimate kind.
One of my favorite aspects of Chicago is Chinatown. Not only will you find great food and unique souveniers, but the role of Rat in the Chinese Zodiac makes it certain that you'll find
something ratty in their stores. I was not dissapointed, although it wasn't as easy as it first appeared. All the stores I entered were so packed with toys and trinkets that it was like finding a needle in a haystack-- but I finally asked a clerk for assistance, and was presented with a beautiful carved wooden rat statue.
The next store I entered had some beautiful jade rat necklaces, but they were a little out of my price range, so I settled with a cute little rat charm with a bell.
My final rat discovery was completely unexpected and not in Chinatown at all. Having visited the Art Institue of Chicago's museum, I casually browsed the gift store and, to my surprise, found an adorable rat print baby bib! Having no children of my own, I couldn't justify the high price tag, though I did get a photo.
Rat Hunter Diaries: searching out rats across the globe.
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posted by Sophielynette @ 11:23 PM