The Windy City of Chicago

 

First off, I would have to share with you something that I learned just recently: The nickname of Chicago, the Windy City, does not come from the cold winds blowing from Lake Michigan. The Windy City refers to all the wonderful things that were said about Chicago all over the United States at the end of the 1800’s, like it was carried by the wind. The name of the city was also taken in use by the media during the first half of the 20^th century, because of the political changes that kept on taking place in Chicago.

Even though Chicago is a big city, it is very easy to find your way around. The city center is known as the loop, because of the elevated metro going in a loop over the streets downtown. State Street is the Main Street and divides the city in east and west, and Madison Street divides the city in south and north, so if you get lost, you can just walk towards these two streets, navigate from there.

One of the things I would say is a must to see in Chicago is the famous Sears Tower, which is a 110 stores high building for numerous architecture firms, law firms and other big companies. The entrance ticket costs 15$, and gives you a lift up into the top floor, with a view over the city and information about  the buildings and things you can see from there. Even for someone who has almost no interest in architecture, it was very interesting to read about the different buildings and the history behind them. The Sears Tower also has four glass boxes that “hang” outside of the building, so that you can get the feeling of standing in mid air 412 meters above the ground.