Postcard from Chicago – The Bottom Line

After 11 days in Chicago, here are my conclusions: It is a beautiful, vibrant, very clean city, full of excitement, friendly people, a great transportation system, and an unlimited supply of things to do and see. The city is alive with a fascinating downtown, numerous outlying neighborhoods with their own special flavor, great museums, sports, fabulous restaurants and much much more. It’s the best time I’ve had in a long time.

So what did I do there ? Well for starters, I visited all three of its outdoor major sports stadiums, including an in-depth top-to-bottom tour of 96 year-old Wrigley Field; toured a German U-Boat and a coal mine; saw some of the most famous and beautiful art in the world; got wind and rain in my face from a 4D movie; saw thousands of exotic marine animals; ate several Chicago Dogs; dined at the restaurants of two Chicago icons (Mike Ditka and Harry Carey); had lunch on the 95th floor of the Hancock Building; slept every night just a few blocks from President Obama’s home; took subways above and below the city; walked its most famous streets, including the Magnificent Mile; stood at the beginning of Route 66; listened to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata at a free lunch concert; photographed myself on “The Bean”; learned why it’s called “The Windy City”; and spent hours exploring a few of Chicago’s outlying neighborhoods…and loved every minute of it!

It was a dream trip, seeing someplace brand new and visiting with old friends. I am just lucky that I love Tucson or it would have been harder coming home.

Chicago is a very, very big place, centered around its large downtown area. It is the third largest city in America with nearly 3 million residents inside the city limits. There is the North Side and the South Side, with the downtown being the dividing line. Its sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, with the state borders of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan very close by.

Skyscrapers soar to great heights and the city keeps itself clean and well stocked with millions of flowers…this time of year it was tulips. And they are everywhere in the downtown, and in many of the neighborhoods away from the downtown.

I walked my legs off nearly everyday seeing and experiencing the sites, but it was worth it. Living in a large city like Chicago is so different. Most folks don’t own a car, or need one for that matter. You can move all over the city using buses, subways (called the “L” for elevated railway), Amtrak, and another train system called the Metra. There is also the PACE system that brings people from outlying areas to transportation hubs inside the city.

In the days that follow, I wll tell you more about my adventures in this great city and share some of my photographs. I hope you enjoy them.