chicago

Chicago is called the city of skyscrapers

Toronto to Chicago = a 9 - 11 hour drive, depending on the traffic. 

We wanted our short stay time in Chicago to include:

1) touring the famous skyscrapers

2) eating some Chicago famous food - deep dish pizza and hotdogs
3) listening to some Chicago blues

Here is what happened.

Chicago is known as the Second City. The 1^st city is New York. Chicago used to be the 2^nd largest American city but they didn`t change the nickname even when Los Angelos became the actual 2nd most populated city. Hmmm.

Chicago is also known as the Skyscraper City. The best way to see these famous buildings is by boat. You can take an architectural tour on the Chicago River.  Very fun. Our tour guide, Frank told us about each building as we glided by. For example...

Chicago city has the most movable bridges in the world. They raise to let boats and ships through.

We were very lucky. Just as we got on the boat, this happened:

Chicago became the city of skycrapers because it had to be rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1871. Frank explains what happened...

Check out more about the Great Chicago fire, Mrs. O'Leary and her famous cow that was finally found not guilty of kicking over the lantern...wikipedia , encylcopedia britannica


Some of our favourite buildings:

The Tribune building was the result (click to see pics of it being built)  of a famous architecture competition. The winner won $50,000 -in 1922!

Most Chicago skyscrapers were built by people who had made their fortunes and wanted to leave their mark on their home city. The Wrigley building is named after the maker of the famous Wrigley gun. He made gum after his baking soda business failed...good switch.

Trump building. Donald Trump the celeb for president?

condo with marina to park your boat underneath

this building curves with the river

he 4th building on the left, Aqua, was designed by Jeanne Gang and won the 2009 Skyscraper award

 

A quiet moment with a sculpture.

Who knew sculptures take a break?

We went to find the food.

The deep dish pizza is a Chicago specialty. One medium pizza weighs about 5 pounds!

the dogs didn`t seem too different but our friend John from Chicago swears they are the best!

It is a tradition in this restaurant to sign your name on the wall after you eat there.























For such a huge city, the downtown was warm and friendly and almost cozy feeling. People were chatty and almost overly friendly. One shop clerk showed us her fashion gloves- fingerless!
Perfect for texting!
She even gave me this website to get the patterns to make them.

Every city loves to wear the Team. Chicago is home to the Cubs (baseball) and Blackhawks (hockey).
Chicago Bulls (basketball)

Yes! Working was playing! Working is a musical based on the famous interviews by Studs Terkel. He spoke with Americans about their working lives and their dreams. Very good book. OK musical.

the stage set of the musical looked like this

We ended our stay with a trip to hear the blues. Chicago blues has its own special blues style, full of howling guitars and howling singers... 

In the summer Chicago is home to the largest free blues festival in the word. Have a listen to our night at Blues Chicago..

Our trip was off to a fantastic start.

Chicago was our first stop but we will definitely loop back here many more times. 

A one day drive from Toronto!! Incredible.