Chicago, Illinois

Today was our third full day in Chicago. What a great city this is. I'm at an internet cafe and this time is costing money so I'll try to keep it brief.

Chicago is bustling, and gives every appearance of a very prosperous community. The sales tax is 9% and it seems the denizens of Chicagoland are getting a lot for it. The parks are well kept and full of flowers and throngs of people. The streets are clean. The transit system is clean, up-to date and heavily used. The museums and cultural attractions are similarly extremely well maintained and world-class. You don't see graffiti and decay around here. This city is kept up. Cranes are ubiquitous and construction/renovation is going on all over the place. The "crane" is said to be the unofficial city bird! Chicago seems to be an exception to the overall recessionary climate afflicting most of the country these days.

The architectural quality and variety is something to behold. From the first late nineteenth century neo-gothic skyscrapers like the Chicago Tribune Building and the wondrous marble edifices left from the 1893 World's Fair such as now house the incredible Field Museum and the Chicago Art Institute through art deco wonders like the Merc and the Hilton Towers to unadorned steel and glass skyscrapers such as the Sears Tower to the latest innovative works including the Trump Tower currently under construction and the outdoor architectural art of Millennium Park, Chicago is a sight to see. It's all worthy of the city of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Plenty of open space has been preserved to boot, so you don't get the New York City dark canyons effect. That includes the entire lakefront and lots of parks where city crews are busy keeping them in top shape planting flowers and such.

Last night we went to a ball game at venerable Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs since 1914. The faithful are fun-loving and extremely passionate about their Cubbies. And even though there is a lot of beer being drunk they don't cross the line about getting out of hand. It was a treat to go to a game where spontaneous and well-known chants came from the crowd and where they even sing team songs. What an atmosphere, and how indicative of Chicago's spirit.

From what I've seen this is one of the truly great American cities. If you get a chance to visit the "city of broad shoulders" don't hesitate. For sure, it's "my kind of town!"