My wife and I recently went to Chicago to see some mutual friends of ours. It was our first visit to that part of the country, and proved to be one of the best vacations I've ever taken.
First of all, aside from one unfortunate individual on the El who had a button on his man-bag that read, "When Clinton Lied, No-one Died," the attitude is very patriotic. There are American flag stickers and "Support Our Troops" labels on almost every car. That surprised me, being that Chicago is largely Democrat territory.
The sentiment is even stronger in southern Illinois, where we traveled to as a side trip (to the town of Olney, one of only three places in America with white squirrels). You wouldn't want to be an anti-war activist in that part of the country, I assure you. Those people live in the greatest country on earth and they know it. On the side of one farmhouse we passed - and it's all farming land past the small city of Kankakee - somebody had painted an American flag and wrote in large letters "PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN."
Last Wednesday (May 4), we went to see the city proper and took the Blue Line all the way to Washington station in the heart of the downtown Loop. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Chicago has underground subway stations, in addition to the above ground and elevated ones..
Chicago has a much more comfortable feel to it, just like my native Boston has - no feeling of menace as with New York City. We walked up ritzy Michigan Avenue to the Tribune Tower. This is a building I'd long wanted to see, ever since learning about it in an American Architecture class in college fifteen years ago. It's every bit as beautiful as I'd expected it would be, one of the loveliest and most fascinating edifices I've laid eyes on.
Article comments
1 - Bennett Dawson
Nice pictures and story Mark. Unfortunately, all of my Chicago experiences have been of the airport nature. Gotta be one of the scariest places to fly into. Seems there's always a crosswind, 737 skewed sideways taking waaaaay too long to put wheels to tarmac. White knuckle stuff.
Some day I'll do Chicago right. Millenium Park looks fab.
Thanks!
2 - Meryl
I was about to post that the only thing I've seen of Chicago is O'Hare and there's Bennett's post saying the same thing. Haven't had the opportunity to go there and my company has an office in one of its suburbs... eh, someday.
3 - Bennett Dawson
Not that we're unique Meryl, there must be millions of folks (every year) that see Chicago's skyline out a small oval window, and that's it for Chicago!
4 - Mark Edward Manning
Thanks, Bennett and Meryl.
I will say, being from Boston, I'm used to landing on tarmac and seeing a big skyline looming just across the bay. But with Chicago, the distance is about 2-1/2 times what it is with Boston. Still, the wife and I did see Chicago from that small oval window. We're just glad we got the chance to see the city in the flesh.
5 - Mark Saleski
mark, as far as baseball goes, the cubs are sorta kindred spirits.
i'd certainly have to root for 'em if they were in the series (except against the red sox, of course)
6 - Mark Edward Manning
Mark S.: "as far as baseball goes, the cubs are sorta kindred spirits."
I've always thought it to be true myself, Mark - up until last year, that is. Now Cubs fans are jealous.
In fact, the immigration officer that let me and my wife through took one look at me in my Red Sox cap and said, "Boy, you're mixing it up wearing that cap here!" I asked him about his loyalties and he replied that he was a Cubs fan.
They're not aggressive by any means, but I don't think Cubbies fans see us as kindred spirits anymore. They think of the Red Sox and turn sullen. At least not until they break their own "curse."
Anytime the Red Sox don't make it, I will def. root for the Cubs, I can say that much.
7 - dave
"There are American flag stickers and "Support Our Troops" labels on almost every car. That surprised me, being that Chicago is largely Democrat territory."
Being a Democrat doesn't mean that you can't love your country or support your troops. Even suggesting that they are related makes me question your credibility as a "superior writer."
I saw an elderly couple driving up Lake Shore Drive the other day with a bumper sticker that said "I never thought I would miss Nixon."
There are a lot of intelligent people in this city. You should come live here a while. We'd love to have you. Maybe you could learn a thing or two.