In October, I finally had the chance to visit a city that has been on my ‘dream-list’ for years: Chicago. I had seen friends’ photos of the riverfront and, of course, of The Bean, but aside from these iconic views, I had little idea of what to expect.
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Signs of Chicago’s rough reputation were hard to ignore, but within my first hour in the city, I was enamored by its architecture and the seamless blend of contrasting urban styles of its different neighborhoods.
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The winding and weaving El-Train was a highly enjoyable way to get around town and to see it from a different perspective.
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An architectural cruise allowed me to see the face that Chicago presents to the river, with its industrial bridges, playful reflections and carefully planned-out waterfront promenades. I have always been fascinated by cities that are built by (or on) water, how they interact with it and how it becomes part of their identity.
As if feeling tiny among the skyscrapers was not enough, I let myself lose track of time along the Lake Shore Drive and in Lincoln Park, feeling the wind from the lake, and watching the view of the cityscape change behind me.
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I enthusiastically met all the requirements for the role of "Tourist": I stood amused by my reflection in front of the Bean. I climbed to the top of the Willis Tower and stood among the dozens of other tourists and their iPhones until the sunset colored the sky around us. I even made it through a deep-dish pizza!
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I also tried to get a sense of Chicago’s other neighborhoods. I strolled through funky and eccentric Wicker Park/Bucktown, with its eccentric independent shops, galleries, bookstores and cafés. I loved the peaceful residential streets in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, and how the area around Armitage Avenue and Clark street suddenly grew livelier, like little pockets of the city hidden among peaceful stretches of trees and beautiful homes. I let myself dream as I weaved through the streets of the Gold Coast, and enjoyed the charming Old Town that had so much diversity to offer.
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Of course, a first trip, especially a short one, only ever serves to take that first bite out of a city. I always take it as consolation that there is no better way to guarantee our return to see more of it - soon.
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A few photographs of Chicago have made their way into my collection, and are also available as fine-art prints in versatile sizes.
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Stay tuned for “Musings” in other cities by subscribing to the blog, or by staying in touch on Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest!
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