Chicago - Where wind and beans go together:)

Gorgeous day - only a bit breezy.  No sign of the big winds suggested by Chicago's nickname as the 'Windy City.'  Turns out that name's history is fairly hazy.  True, Chicago has its fair share of wind.  But there's an equally popular belief that says the name describes the boastful, arrogant character of  its citizens, following the 1893 Chicago World Fair.  Blair prefers the version that goes like this:  Back in the 19th century there was a powerful rivalry between Cincinatti and Chicago.  They were both big into the meatpacking business. The term 'windy city' was first coined in a Cincinatti newspaper to describe Chicago - whether it was for its boastfulness or its winds - nobody knows for sure.

So we headed along Milwaukee N. to catch the 'El' or 'L' - the clunky
rapid transit trains seen speeding through all kinds of movies such as The Fugitive or
Ferris Buehler's Day Off or Risky Business.  Three of my favourite movies by the way.

The El isn't particularly different from any of the others in different American cities.  But
it's neat to be able to sail along overlooking the city.  In some places, it's unbelievable how
close it gets to the apartments and houses along the tracks.  

No sooner had we stopped at the train station than a voice rang out directed at Blair.  "Ya need some travel information? Sir?  Sir!?"  Blair doesn't automatically respond to the 'sir' moniker.

But we couldn't ignore the loud voice attached to a bulky, uniformed transit employee. His advice - buy three day passes down the street, then come back and get on such such and such a train and get off at such and such a stop. 

We were heading to Millennium Park and the Chicago Institute of Art.  This was a natural starting point for a couple of art lovers and sculpture gawkers. By the end of the day we were exhausted and sore but exhilerated.  And the rest of the week would provide similar emotions.

Millennium Park is close to the lakeshore, adjacent to the Art Institute and surrounded on three sides by beautiful, tall, old buildings.  But the piece of sculpture at its centre holds its own - a magnetic, gleaming, oblong glob of mirror-polished metal.   It was created by Anish Kapoor and it's official name is Cloud Gate but everyone here, naturally calls it 'The Bean!'

With our appetite whetted for spectacular art we headed across the plaza to
the Institute of Art.  Check it out in the next chapter!