chi town

BEST CITY IN THE US!

a 22-hour train ride from Boston placed me at the hub of America's rail network, Chicago. 'best city in the US' may be a bit biased, but let me elaborate on why i like it so.

uniqueness - its advantageous location in the mid-west made it an important trading hub between the east and west coasts. not prescribing to either of these two stereotypes, it is uniquely mid-western and has real character.

ALL LINES LEAD TO CHICAGO (TOP-CENTRE)

size - metropolitan Chicago is huge, with a population of 10 million, stretching across 3 states - wawaweewo! it's the largest city in the mid-west and 3rd largest in the US. this great expanse makes for a range of neighbourhoods like the poor and upmarket areas, hip and office areas etc. the diversity was amazing, and there were also some ghetto areas which looked pretty dope!

DOWNTOWN CHI TOWN

Architecture - quick history lesson: the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 pretty much razed the city, possibly considered a blessing in disguise for it was around this time that steel was becoming more commonly used and consequently Chicago was home to the first skyscraper. this innovation was a catalyst for the city's prominent Architecture still evident today.

JOHN HANCOCK CENTER

MARINA CITY

the urban fabric was incredibly rich - some of the oldest skyscrapers in the world juxtaposed by some of the tallest and most modern, the large open spaces, the art installations and surprisingly, the elevated railway lines. they were these rusted masses of steel sitting atop the street, hinting at the city's industrial past and throwing the street scape into a constant gloomy light. it felt like something out of a film noir movie, it was beautiful.

being an area in which Frank Lloyd Wright practised (greatest American Architect of the 21st Century) i got to see a lot of his buildings, notably his Prairie-style houses. taking a tour through his home and studio in Oak Park i got to see first-hand all the Wrightian principles i'd learnt at school, it was very memorable.

WRIGHT'S HOME AND STUDIO

art and museums - a lot of great museums and art galleries, good for expanding the mind. i was also told that during summer there are almost nightly concerts down at the Pritzker Pavilion (an outdoor music arena) which sounds pretty sick. 

PRITZKER PAVILION, FRANK GEHRY

THE BEAN

there was also a bunch of locals who showed me and a couple of Aussie mates a bit of the Chicago night life, and from what i gathered Chicagoans definitely know how to party! i think we all became lifelong friends in the course of one night thanks to dollar drinks and an infamous Facebook album. awesome bunch of people, showed us a great time, cheers!

can't wait to visit Chicago again, but until next time...