Photo Tour: Chicago, Chicago...

I started my trip with visits to two familiar places: the San Francisco Bay area and Denver. Then the adventure started.

I like big cities. Chicago sure feels big... and tall. I love New York, too. Somehow, though, although both cities have lots of tall (and spectacular) buildings, Chicago streets feel different. A friend from suburban Chicago said that the streets are more open, and I think that's a lot of it. My guidebook also pointed out that Chicago loves modern architecture -- and so do I. Anyway, whatever makes Chicago what it is... "what a wonderful town." (Sorry, but I couldn't help myself there.)

I don't have time to write a lot of commentary on this page, though, so I'll let the photos do most of the talking.

To get a larger version of any picture, click on it; a new window should open. When you close that window, this window should still be here.

Evening or daytime, from across the Chicago River or the harbor on Lake Michigan, Chicago's skyline is spectacular:

Chicago skyline and harbor from Lake Michigan

Here are two late-afternon scenes along the Magnificent Mile. That's the stretch of Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River -- home to some of the most spectacular architecture (and most expensive shops) in the city:

Three building corners on the Magnificent Mile

The Sears Tower in the morning and a ghostly-looking collection of buildings near dusk (the Sofitel is the shorter light-colored one):

Sofitel (in center) and buildings around it

There are flowers everywhere. My Chicagoland friend said that one thing she likes about being stuck in traffic ;-) is all of the planters along roadways. On an early-morning walk along the Chicago River (which curves around two sides of downtown), I saw lots of birds too:

Flowers everywhere... these by the Chicago River

The Merchandise Mart is a gigantic building on the north bank of the Chicago River. Outside, a row of pillars display some of the giants of the Merchandise Mart. Speaking of giant, this huge chair in front (for a "casual" home furnishings show) seemed to dwarf the men and the skyline -- if you shoot the photo while you're lying on the ground, at least:

Giant chair outside the Merchandise Mart

[Next page: Edinburgh]
[Tour start: Around the World 2003] [Tours]

(These photographs are Copyright © 2003 by Jerry Peek. Much higher-resolution versions of most images, and many other images too, are available at Jerry Peek Photography. Photos are available at reduced prices, or free, for non-commercial use.)