architecture

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My third day in Chicago, I met one of my sister CorgiAid volunteers. We had worked together for years, but had never met in person. She grew up in Chicago, so meeting there was perfect. I was so glad we finally got to spend some time in the same place!

We took an architecture-focused boat trip. Unfortunately, the weather was not conducive to outdoor activities. It rained hard enough that sitting on top of the boat wasn't attractive. Worse, the river level was so high that it wasn't certain the boat could make it under the many bridges. This required going out on the lake, instead of upriver. Ok -- but there's a lock at the mouth of the river, so a good 10-15 minutes were wasted, each way, getting out and in.

Note corncob apartments on the right, and belvedere atop the building on the left.





Not all of the plants along the river were planted by people.





Chicago values its waterfront. There are new condos going up everywhere, beside the river, and anywhere in view of the lake.





Here is one of the many bridges over the river. They all open, so that sailboats with tall masts can get through. I guess, for a long time, they could get through whenever the fancy took them (imagine what that did to the traffic!). Now they have to make an appointment, and the briges only open on certain days.





You know there's a low ceiling when.......

(Note lock sliding from left to right behind the boat.)





Now you can see the lock, almost closed.





The tall dark building with two spikes on top is the Hancock building. It was written up in Life magazine when it was brand new. I remember a pic of someone lounging on the diagonal bracing which was inside their apartment....

Last time I was in Chicago, I went to the top of the Hancock building, and rode the Ferris wheel on Navy Pier.





And that was the last pic I took on the boat.

After a very nice lunch, some walking around led to Marshall Field's, a department store of the Old School. It is huge, and has some amazing architecture and decoration, including this stunning tiled barrel vault.





Another building in the same neighborhood has incredible metalwork all over the facade.









A very photogenic city!



That evening I had dinner with one of my high school friends. We had been in lots of classes together, over the years. It was great to have a chance to get caught up with her (and enjoy a lovely dinner -- my lunch and my dinner, both, that day, were delicious!).



In order to facilitate chronological traverse of these Chicago posts, a link to the next one is here.

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