Chicago

Chicago is a thriving metropolis known for its beautiful architecture and its harsh winters. The city is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications, and transportation.  Chicago has several nicknames, including the “Windy City,” the “Second City,” and the “City of Broad Shoulders.”  Chicago’s cultural contributions include the creation of first class museums—such as the Art Institute, the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Adler Planetarium—and unique venues for musical events, such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  The name "Chicago" is the French rendering  of shikaakwa, (translated as "wild onion" or "wild garlic"), the original name for the region as termed by the local Miami-Illinois Indian tribes. In 1679, Robert de LaSalle came upon the area where the Chicago River and Lake Michigan meet.  From its humble beginnings, Chicago became the world’s fastest growing city in the mid-1800s. However, the city’s meteoric progress came to a halt when the fire of 1871 destroyed a large part of the city—including most of its center.  During the rebuilding period that followed, the world’s first skyscraper was built.  The building methods that were developed in the early construction of skyscrapers—namely the use of steel—were soon adopted worldwide.  

Chicago now has one of the most beautiful skylines and lakefronts of any city in the world. The contributions of talented architects such as Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Charles Atwood, and Mies Van der Rohe have enabled the city’s iconic status.

When we arrived in Chicago, the temperature was actually colder than that of Antarctica.  Though it may be hard to believe, according to a WSJ article, Arana the polar bear (who lives at the Lincoln Park Zoo) had to stay indoors to keep warm.  The frozen shore of Lake Michigan, the skyline of the Magnificent Mile, and the deep blue winter sky created a spectacular setting—a delight to the many photographers who wish to capture the magnificent beauty of the city.  Visitors and locals alike marvel when they see the steam rising from the Lake Michigan on very cold days.  It is the result of the interaction between the warmer water of the lake and the frigid air, which makes the evaporation instantly visible.