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USA - ILLINOIS - CHICAGO: YOUR KIND 'A TOWN by Julie Rekai Rickerd   Chicago offers a cornucopia of treasures to delight all ages and satisfy all interests.This metropolis, dubbed the "windy city" for its long-winded politicians, not its weather, sits majestically on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Chicago River runs through it, backwards, as city engineers reversed its flow in 1900 “for sanitary purposes”.
Architect Daniel H. Burnham drew up the Chicago Plan of 1909, a comprehensive plan that had an unobstructed lakefront, an extensive, city-wide network of parks and a green belt of forest preserves, most of which exist to this day. He also created what became known as the “Chicago style” of architecture. Burnham kick-started what is now a veritable “living museum” of extraordinary architecture. Many of Chicago’s famous buildings are to be found in the city’s central business district called “the Loop”. The Loop is encircled by the “L” train, a section of the Chicago Transit Authority’s elevated train system first introduced in 1893, to provide transportation to the World’s Columbian Exposition, hosted by Chicago that year. Loop Tour Trains provide free tours of the historic area from May through September. Apart from walking, the ideal way to capture the spectacular scope of Chicago’s old and new architecture is by boat. Boat tours of various lengths, all with excellent guides, ply the waters of the lake and river, providing remarkable vistas of the city’s landmark buildings: the Wrigley (as in chewing gum) Building, the Tribune (the Chicago Tribune newspaper) Tower, Merchandise Mart, the Sears (department stores) Tower, the IBM building and the Aon Center, among countless other extraordinary architectural feats. Many of these mesmerizing structures contain boundless pleasures within: the Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium displays a superb collection of sea life that includes 30 sharks and hundreds of aquatic species that inhabit a specially-built coral reef; the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum houses Sue, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and visitors can take a simulated space shuttle ride, complete with blast-off, at the Museum of Science and Technology. There are perfect aerial views of the city, its environs, and even the state of Indiana, from the Sears Tower Skydeck or the Hancock Observatory atop the John Hancock Center. Not to be missed is The Art Institute of Chicago’s impressionist and post-impressionist collection. Public art abounds at every turn and includes works by stellar artists. Exploring the city’s 25-acre Millennium Park is an unforgettable experience. It is the site of an amazing concert venue, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and the BP Bridge, both designed by Frank Gehry, the Cloud Gate sculpture by Anish Kapoor, Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain, where children can splash about to their hearts' content, the Millennium Monument, exquisite landscaping and even an ice skating rink. Visitors and locals alike enjoy the park’s free concerts, bicycle paths, festivals, fairs and special events held year-round. For sustenance and to recharge batteries, Chicago is a culinary paradise. Dining choices range from the haute cuisine of stylish, innovative restaurants like Charlie Trotter’s, Everest and Blackbird to mouth-watering deep-dish pizza, steak and ribs, great hot dogs and divine Eli’s cheesecake. Young and old relish the events and attractions at Navy Pier, a 50-acre complex of shops, restaurants, theatres, gardens, an interactive Children’s Museum and a 15-storey-high Ferris wheel. Lincoln Park Zoo also delights with its petting zoo, animal nursery and hands-on learning centre. Chicago’s many beaches offer the ultimate in relaxation. Tours of Wrigley Field, the venerable, 90-year-old home of the Chicago Cubs, evoke nostalgia for the days the team only played day games because the stadium had no lights. Chicago has innumerable theatres and music venues. It is home to the Second City and Steppenwolf Theater companies, to the Chicago Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony. For shoppers, there is the Magnificent Mile and State Avenue with shops and boutiques to satisfy their every whim. Oak Park, birthplace of Ernest Hemingway and the venue of Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, many of the houses he designed, and his breathtaking Unity Temple, is a must visit and easy to reach on public transportation, despite its distance from downtown. The city’s many multicultural neighbourhoods, Chinese, Polish, Italian, Greek, and Ukrainian among others have greatly added to Chicago’s development, charm and attraction. There are frequent special interest guided tours of specific neighbourhoods, many to savour delicious ethnic dishes and delicacies. The free Chicago Greeter assigns a local guide to groups of 1-6 visitors to explore any of 40 specialized areas and more than 25 ethnic neighbourhoods. Like all great cities, Chicago is very difficult to leave: so much left to see, so much left to do. Return visits are inevitable. To borrow Frank Sinatra’s words, there is no doubt whatever in my mind that “My kind ‘a town Chicago is!” Photo courtesy City of Chicago/ Willy Schmidt
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