A City lives up to its reputation

I arrive at Chicago Union Station around mid-day, got my bags off the train, and eventually found my way out of the building - every place I go I have to try to work out the way their particular signage works, plus I don’t know the things that are obvious to a resident.

But soon I’m outside and quickly find out just why this is called “the windy city” - all the time I’m there it seems to be a gale force wind. It’s not far to my Hotel, but walking through a busy city at lunch time pulling a suitcase and carrying a backpack is not that easy. The first thing I see as I cross the Chicago River is one of the bridges opening to let a boat through, so I stop and watch like the tourist that I am.


(Chicago River traffic)

This allows me to stop and see how the buildings here are right on the river, and it’s an interesting contrast between the ultra modern office blocks, and the older, more solid bridge. But it’s too windy to stay here long - plus being annoying to those business people who want to get on with working - so I move on am soon walking into “the Loop” - that area of down town that is circled by the elevated railway. My Hotel is just the other side of the Loop on East Harrison, and I manage to find it without too many wrong turns. I book in and get a nice room on the 11th floor with a small kitchen and lots of space - and with a view across the street to a parking garage. The phone rings as I’m looking round, and it’s reception to ask if everything is OK - I say that I like the room, but have they got one with a view that is worth looking at? Seems not, but it IS a nice room, and at least I can see more than my New York Hotel!

After some food and a rest, I really want to try the elevated railway system - The EL - so go down to the station, get a ticket and join a train - by now it’s after 4 and the trains are crowded, so I need to stand, but this is fine actually as you get better views that way. I get off at Merchandise Mart to investigate this building, and the first shop I see is a kitchen goods store - so I go investigate!

After a while of browsing, I’m asked if I’m there for the cooking demonstration - I admit I’m not, but ask if it would be a good idea to go. It turns out the shop - along with them all in the Mall - is about to close to the public, but that they are opening to a special demonstration, as it’s the start of the “Artopolis Art Show” and tonight is the International Antiques Fair preview party - all the great and good are going to be here for the opening at 6pm, and a number of the stores are putting on special events. But not open for normal browsers like me!

Since I’m there, I start to walk along looking at the shop fronts, and notice that more and more people in formal ware are arriving all the time - guests for the opening I assume. There are areas where you need to show a guest pass to get in, but the main areas appear to be open to the public, so I carry on walking. Soon, I get to a very crowded area, where there is a drinks reception being held, I think it’d be really easy to just grab a drink from a passing waiter and join in - but my travel clothes do not seem to fit in well with the rest of the guests, so I decide to beat a retreat.

Back outside I trace my way back to the station I arrived at - but it’s an exit only, and I can’t get in that way. A friendly local tries to direct me to an entrance, but we do have some communication difficulties, as he is Chinese and I’m English! The entrance is actually back in the Mart building, so I go back the way I came. It’s started to rain, and I stop on the way back to the hotel and buy a rollup plastic rain coat - it’s way too windy for an umbrella, and way too wet not to have any protection from the rain.

So that’s enough for one day - found the hotel - used Mass Transit - got windswept and wet - and had a fantastic day!