It’s 106 miles to Chicago. We’ve got a full tank of gas, half a packet of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it! (The Blues Brothers)
For over 20 years I have been a regular visitor to Chicago O’Hare but I had never ventured beyond the airport. We were determined to change this state of affairs on this trip and we did.
Playing online hotel booking roulette, we landed a fabulous 20th floor suite near the Magnificent Mile. The view up the river at dusk was magical.
The eye level view across the river? Well, it speaks for itself.
The weather was mild and we walked far and wide to get oriented.
We also took an Intersections of Old & New walking tour presented by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. This tour compared the histories, styles, and functions of buildings located within sight of each other at five major downtown intersections and also introduced us to some of the public art.
Chicago is a very handsome city. It also has some fantastic museums and galleries. This is Nick Cave’s Speak Louder installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s made from mother of pearl buttons.
And this is part of Chagall’s America Windows at the Art Institute:
Along the way, I got to eat real deep dish pizza and fabulous Italian fare and catch up with a Rotary youth exchange friend from the early 1980s. A fabulous time!
Penny Gold says
Fun to hear of your visit to Chicago–so glad you enjoyed it! I live about 200 miles away, with a direct train connection, so I go there several times a year to enjoy big city life. Really glad you found the Chicago Architecture Foundation tours–I’ve been on several, and they’ve all been great. Maybe you’ll come back for another. . .
Brenda Gael Smith says
The CAF tour was great. I’d like to go back and do some more exploring!
Diane says
Looks like a great visit. Your photos are fabulous!