After our river cruise we had a free afternoon in Chicago. We walked down the lovely Michigan Avenue, had lunch and then walked to Millenium Park. It is a large park in the city full of art and fun activities for families.
In the park we saw:
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion, designed by Frank Gehry, is the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue in USA. Jay Pritzker was an American entrepreneur born in Chicago. He established the Pritzker Prize for architecture.
"Cloud Gate" affectionately known as "the bean" is a highly polished, stainless steel, interactive sculpture by Arish Kapoors. It reflected you and the city. You could walk under it and look up to see all sorts of reflections. Fascinating fun.
Can you see us taking pictures of ourselves? It is not flattering it sort of stretches you sideways and makes you look fatter than you really are...I think, unless we've put on weight eating hamburgers every day.
The Crown Fountain designed by Jaume Plensa is made up of two 50ft glass towers with water pouring over the top and down all sides, with a splash pad in between for kids to cool off.
Changing video images of 1000 Chicagoans are projected onto the two facing sides of the towers.
That evening we went with the group to dinner at Carson's Restaurant famous for barbecued ribs. It was a huge meal. Then we went to the Willis Tower, which used to be Sears Tower but the naming rights changed in 2003. It is the tallest building in USA standing 442m high with 108 floors and that is where we went.
It was exciting going up in the lift and seeing the floor numbers flash past at a frightening speed. The view from the Skydeck was breathtaking.
We are trying to look brave standing out on the glass floor ledges hanging outside the building.
Notice that neither of us are looking
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Good onya for standing on the glass. Pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Chicago, and I don't think I will be as brave as you too standing on the glass ledge.
ReplyDeleteIf you come to Auckland, to our Skytower, there are parts like this, and I felt funny when I stood on it.
Are you still in USA?
No way Diane and Bill would I stand on that spot!
ReplyDeleteThe Sydney Centrepoint has something similar, much too scary for me.
I might show my Josephine and Daphne this, might make them rethink of flying over the fence!
Colin (HB)
Oh my word, I hope that's a glass partition behind you in the HIGH tower. 108 floors. I cannot imagine it! I love the Bean and the glass water fountains. I love it all! Thanks for the tour, Diane. HAve a great weekend. Jo
ReplyDeleteIs there any part of this country you are not visiting? What a trip!
ReplyDeletethese are amazing, the photos and the buildings. what a fantastic adventure you were on. i would NOT stand on that glass ledge, or even get near it. i can't even stand to walk up to a glass window that goes to the floor.
ReplyDeleteAnn, I have been on the one in the tower in Auckland. That is scary too.
ReplyDeleteLori, we did see a lot of the country but we didn't see the Southern states. Hopefully there will be another time.
I have only been on one of those elevators once and it was in Atlanta Georgia and I found out I'm not a good passenger in them. Talk about having complete faith that all the mechanisms work right. I was in Chicago overnight in 2007 when my son got married there but I'd sure like to go back and see all there is to see there. I'd start with the kajillion museums!
ReplyDeleteAmazing!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely think I would hesitate with the last one with glass.
May there be many more holidays and pictures..
I liked Chigago too, it is a friendly city and the Millennium parc is stunning, so beautiful with the achitecture and all the art. The bean is really nice to watch yourself with the pretty short leggs. That tower I have been too, but didn't dare to stand on the glass, my stomach starts to tumble when I do. You two are brave ones.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane! It seems that everybody is on holidays... ;) Here it’s true, but someone has to stay... ;)
ReplyDeleteI love Chicago!!
And do you know who won the Pritzker this year?...
Blogtrotter Two is preparing to leave St. Florent. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!!
Again super pictures.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Filip
A side of Chicago we don't normally 'see'. Love the bean! Fantastic reflections!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would be brave enough to go out on those glass ledges the way the two of you did. I went to the observation deck of the Hancock Building one night when that was Chicago's tallest building, but you've shown me how much things have changed since then. I really need to get back there.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, Gorgeous pictures... George said that he wants to take me to Chicago someday... That will be added to our already LONG list... ha
ReplyDeleteI'd love being up there in that building --out on that ledge.. BUT--I probably wouldn't look down either.
Hugs,
Betsy
Wow, I love "Cloud Gate". Amazing work.
ReplyDeleteHey, that skydeck looks a bit like the Eureka Towers skydeck in Melbourne, but way cooler. I love it, but I wish they had less beams at the bottom.
Wow you are seeing it all, amazing places I haven't even heard of. Great pics.
ReplyDeleteLove, jan
Great photos of Chicago, Diane! Sounds like a nice day. My favorite is the bean and the Crown Fountain sounds like a neat idea. The view from the tall building is gorgeous. I enjoyed this tour with you. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI have been to Chicago but don't remember much about it. You seems to have found more fun there than we did.
ReplyDeleteMost of our trips to the city are for baseball games. Note to self...next time check out Millenium Park. Believe I'll skip standing on that clear glass, though. I almost fainted just looking at your pictures.
ReplyDeleteNice set of australian reflections ! Thanks for sharing them with us !
ReplyDeleteYou've picked out some really intriguing spots in Chicago... I like the reflections from the bean!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, fantastic night lights shots... you're both very brave to be standing on those sky decks.
Diane, you did a wonderful job standing out there, great view of lights and rooftops. Lovely photos too.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember that. Must be new since 1995.
ReplyDeleteThis was the trip of a lifetime, wasn't it, Diane! You saw so many wonderful things and got to try so many new experiences, even some that were jolly scary! I cannot say I'd have been brave enough to stand on that ledge, even were I not looking down! My knees are weak just looking at you and Bill trying to be nonchalantly brave...you don't fool me ;)
ReplyDeleteI love that "bean"! It must have afforded endless opportunities to capture all the many reflections, every varied and ever changing, never to be repeated.
Great reflection! You were lucky (I think) to get to go to the top of the tower -- it was too windy when we were there.
ReplyDeleteWow, I love the "bean" the best! And, trying to imagine how scary it would be to stand out there on the glass like that! You are brave!
ReplyDeletewhat fun reflections, especially on "the bean"...your photo's make me look forward to visiting Chicago someday..
ReplyDeleteI was going to post my bean photo then I saw yours. Nice shot
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