Leaving Elkhart Indiana the route to our next stop took us right through Chicago. We had decided that this trip we weren’t going to visit the Windy City as we had friends and family to visit and there just isn’t time for everything. I did however locate a Costco and I needed a shopping fix! This Costco was located right off the interstate but it was right near the heart of Chicago! We exit the highway and are met with these streets that had two lanes but it should have been one, people wizing by like we were a convertible and could stop on a dime! Then we have to make a right turn to get to Costco and it isn’t just a simple right, it is a right that turns back on itself! You don’t make sharp turns in a 36′ RV towing a car behind! It was very tricky. Then we get into the parking lot and it looks like the lot at Costco in Almaden Plaza. By the time we found an out of the way place to park our 50′ of vehicle Paul was ready for a cocktail not shopping!
I went into Costco and had a very nice time looking for things we had to have and enjoying all the free samples. After shopping and getting ready to venture back out onto the streets to seek out the interstate I got another shocker! In Chicago the sales tax is 9.75% for merchandise including alcohol, 2.25% on food items and for alcohol there is city tax and county tax for another almost 10%! My $26 dollar of tequilla had about 12% tax or over $4 in taxes! I think in Chicago it would be cheaper to drink in the bars! I was very happy I didn’t pick up the bottles of Vodka, Gin and Bourbon. California ain’t all that bad!