Taiwan - Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, Building Framed with Trees / Chicago Fourth

This is not the Fourth of July, but occasionally one of the most interesting of those celebrations crosses my mind.  I was in Chicago the summer of '84, and happened to be there during what they called the "Taste of Chicago", where hundreds of restaurants lined up their booths in the park along Lake Shore Drive.  Never been one to hang around crowds, but my Uncle Ed encouraged me to see what it was like, and before I knew it I was in the midst of a half-million people.

By nightfall there was standing room only, even outside; it was a huge party, with people jostling shoulder-to-shoulder.  Not my cup of tea.  So to get away I decided to see if the observation deck was open in the Sears tower (as it was known then).  To my surprise it was, and to my even bigger surprise there were not many people up there.  Those of us who were there developed a camaraderie, and before long the fireworks show started; one of the best in the nation I understand, and one of the best I've seen because they were exploding right at our level.

I'm sure not many can say they've seen one of the country's greatest fireworks displays from a front-row seat in what was then the tallest building in the world!