Popularly known as the Windy City, Chicago stands true to its sobriquet. One can actually hear the wind howl even without the special effects of Vittalacharya movies! Sitting pretty on the shores of Lake Michigan, the tall buildings set in a grid pattern have resulted in man-made wind tunnels. The wind travels down the rows and columns formed by the buildings, creating the howling effect.

We had traveled to Chicago once before over a regular weekend. But we had never really got the opportunity to explore the city fully, as time was a big constraint. During that hurried trip, we had simply gawked at the skyscrapers, made the customary trips to Devon Avenue and Balaji temple, and clicked a few photographs for keepsake. So when we actually moved to Chicagoland, one of the very first things we did was to take a tour of our latest hometown.

Since we had the entire Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to see the sights and sounds of the city leisurely. The daytime temperature outside was a miserable 17° F (roughly -8° C), but that didn’t quite deter the intrepid travelers in us. Braving the cold weather, wind chills and the infamous Chicago traffic, we made it to downtown to see some of the newer landmarks. And if we thought we were the only crazy ones to embark on a tour on a wintry day, we were happily mistaken.

Strolling through Millennium Park

Our first stop was the Millennium Park. This is a 24.5-acre park set bang in the middle of the city on Michigan Avenue. It’s actually the redeveloped north end of Grant Park, converted from old rail beds into a civic center; it’s a one-stop center for music, art, architecture and landscape, an urban oasis with many attractions. What strikes the first time visitor is the openness of the park and how effortlessly it blends with the surrounding urban landscape. A lot of effort and money has been put into the space that was originally just an eyesore with railroads into a vibrant community space.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue with a fixed seating capacity of 4000 people. Another 7000 people can be accommodated in the Great Lawn. The highlight of the pavilion is the state-of-the-art acoustic system. A series of stainless steel ribbons and crisscrossing trellis support the sound system, designed to deliver crystal clear sound even to the people seated in the lawn. The idea is novel, and the scale amazing. Since it was winter, the pavilion was bare with no concerts scheduled.

BP Bridge is a 925-foot long winding pedestrian bridge that connects the Millennium Park to the eastern portion of Grant Park. Walking along the bridge, one can get very good views of Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan.

Cloud Gate is a seamless sculpture forged by British sculptor Anish Kapoor out of highly polished stainless steel plates and designed to reflect the Chicago skyline. It’s an enormous 110-ton elliptical resembling liquid mercury and locally referred to as the Great Bean. At the bottom is a 12-foot high arch that provides a ‘gate’ to the belly of the bean where visitors can see their own reflections. I’m no art buff, but I did find the Cloud Gate to be an interesting structure. 

McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink

If you fancy yourself as a gymnast or sports enthusiast, you can also practice your steps in this 16000-square foot ice skating rink. Admission is free and skates are available for rent at the ice rink. Since the closest I come to sports is march-past, I was content to be an onlooker, a skill at which I excel. During summer, the ice rink is converted into an outdoor café and operates as Plaza at Park Grill, making it the largest outdoor dining venue in Chicago.

Wrigley Square and Millennium Monument

The Wrigley Square, as the name suggests, is an open tree lined square within Millennium Park. At one end of the square is the Millennium Monument set in Peristyle. A similar peristyle is said to have stood on the same spot in the early 1900s. The 12 pairs of Doric-style columns rise to a height of 40 feet. Etched at the base of the peristyle are the names of the founders of Millennium Park.

The Crown Fountain

The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images of 1000 prominent Chicago residents Water flows from a water outlet on the screen to give the illusion oft water spouting from the mouth. The water is on from mid-spring through mid-fall each year while the images remain on year-round. Since it was past fall, the water flow had been shut off and we could see only the images.

There are a few more attractions like the Lurie Garden and Chase Promenade, but they were off-season and bare.

Views of Chicago Skyline from Millennium Park

The diamond-shaped building is the Smurfit-Stone Building

One Prudential Plaza (left) and Aon Center (taller building)

Views from the sky-deck of Sears Tower

After loitering around Millennium Park for a few hours doing ‘nothing’ except ‘sightseeing’, we went to the Sears Tower to get a bird’s eye view of Chicago. Sears Tower is named after its original owner, the retail giant Sears, Roebuck and Co. Chicago's skyline is unique and no matter how many ever times one might have seen these buildings, the views from the top are always enjoyable. We took child-like delight in looking at the cityscape and being able to identify many of the landmarks.

The black tower in the background with the two antennae is the John Hancock Tower

Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and Soldier Field as seen from Sears Tower

 

 

Chicago Union Station

After we climbed down from the deck, we made a beeline for the Union Station, Originally built in 1925, it’s much more than a railway station; its Great Hall is now a prestigious venue for special events, weddings and receptions. The Great Hall is a classic beauty, taking our breath away by its sheer size and grandeur. The Corinthian columns rise majestically to the ceiling that’s in the shape of a barrel-vault and designed like an atrium. (Personally, I would rate the Union Station at Kansas City higher in terms of architectural value and available attractions.)

Holiday decorations in the Union Station

The Barrel-vaulted ceiling of Union Station

The Magnificent Mile

The sun set soon after and that’s when the Magnificent Mile came alive. The Magnificent Mile is a mile-long stretch of Michigan Avenue that houses some of Chicago’s upscale department stores, residential buildings, hotels and restaurants. (The goods and services also come with an upscale tag). More than a million lights lit up on Michigan Avenue as part of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Any weariness we might have felt after a long day on foot facing blustery winds was quickly banished by the glittering lights that reflected the holiday mood. Having heard enough about the painted ceilings of Macy’s, we decided to check them out for ourselves. And we didn’t even have to pretend we were serious shoppers. We just had to join the holiday crowd walking the length and breadth of the store. The ornate ceiling isn’t comparable with marvels elsewhere; but in a culture where gray buildings and grayer suits are preferred, the bright colors come as a welcome relief.

Holiday Lights all over

Inside Macy’s

 

Christkindlmarket

As we stepped out of Macy’s, we stumbled upon this fair at Daley Plaza. This is the Christkindlmarket. Does the name sound German? You are correct; it is German. Modeled after Christkindlmarket of Nuremberg, Germany, this annual winter festival  Plaza has grown to become a Chicago tradition by itself. The shops sell typical German food and drinks, toys and holiday decorations and the vendors are mostly from Germany and other East European countries. These shops are set around a giant Christmas tree. There is also a model train and a Santa House where children can get photographed with Santa Claus. There was a sizeable crowd at the venue eating and making merry. The month long open-air festival lasts from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve.

Christmas Tree at Christkindlmarket

Model Train and holiday lights at the market

At the end of the long day, we actually felt good being like tourists in our own city and doing all the regular ‘tourist’ activities. The Museums, the Millennium Park, Sears Tower and the Magnificent Mile are worth seeing at least once.