Chicago

I visited Chicago!

The Windy City

Interesting fact: Chicago is not called the windy city because of the weather, but because of its politicians. When Chicago wanted to host the world fair in 1893, it was not an attractive location. But Chicago's politicians talked so much about hosting the fair that they convinced the World Fair Board to hold it in there. Afterward, one newspaper man claimed that the politicians in Chicago spoke so much that the city must be windy. 

Anywho, ever since I first heard about deep dish pizza, I've wanted to try it. And what better place to have some that at Uno's, where deep dish pizza was first created?

The Original Deep Dish Pizza

Deep dish pizza is very different than traditional pizza. The first thing I noticed was that the cheese was on the bottom while the tomato sauce and toppings were on top. This prevented the crust from getting soggy,  which was necessary so that the pizza could hold up all the ingredients.

The Individual Numero Uno Pizza

The only thing better than Uno's pizza was Portillo's Chicago-Style Hot Dogs. Before, all I knew was that Chicago-style hot dogs existed. But after going on a bus tour, I learned that asking for a  hotdog that's been "dragged through the garden" means that your hot dog comes with mustard, onions, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, sweet relish, sport peppers, and celery salt.

World's Best Hot Dogs

And this is going to be blasphemous, but I've never had a more delicious hot dog. I daresay that Portillo's Chicago-style hot dog is better than New York style hot dogs or any other type of hot dog I've ever had.

After gorging myself with the local specialties, I decided to visit the #1 tourist spot, Navy Pier.

Navy Pier

I didn't go on the Ferris Wheel or carnival rides, but I did see Cirque Shanghai, a wonderful performance full of eastern-themed stunts. There was a man who juggled seven balls, eleven girls who all rode on one bike, and five performers who simultaneously drove motorbikes in a tiny globe of death.

Cirque Shanghai

After Navy Pier, it was time to see Millennium Park. The first thing I noticed were the two gigantic water towers with large, animated faces. On one tower was a giant man's face, and on the other was a giant woman's face. One thing that caught me by surprise is that every time one of the faces made an "o" shape with their lips, a water jet shot out.

The Crown Fountain

After the Crown Fountain, I saw the iconic Cloud Gate, surrounded by a formidable crowd of tourists.

Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean"

The most fascinating part of "The Bean" for me was walking underneath it, where mirrors reflected mirrors and reality warped and echoed itself over and over again. Can you spot the orange in the partial picture below (hint, I'm the only one with orange)? I counted dozens of mirrored, warped images of myself when I stood underneath Cloud Gate. 

The Underside of the Bean

After touring the rest of the park, I decided to go on a Chicago bus tour. It was a fascinating ride on the top of the double decker bus, seeing all of the different building structures Chicago had to offer. The guide told us that Chicago has many unique skyscrapers because it was the central hub of the New Bauhaus movement.

Trump International Hotel and Tower

Aqua Tower

Marina Towers

NBC Tower

The most impressive building by far though was the Willis (formerly Sears) tower, which is the tallest building in all the western hemisphere.

Willis Tower

I love tall places, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to go to the tallest building in the western hemisphere, especially since they just recently installed the SkyDeck, an enclosed glass deck where all five exposed sides are made of reinforced glass.

SkyDeck atop the Willis Tower

While I was waiting in line I befriended some nice people from Brazil, and they took a picture of me on the deck.

Bryan on the SkyDeck

After exploring downtown Chicago, it was time to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. Once I made it inside, I knew I'd made a good decision. I could hear children and adults laughing and screaming in the background, and on the domed ceiling, the museum had etched in huge letters,

"Science discerns the laws of nature. Industry applies them to the needs of Man."

After only a few steps inside one of the first things to catch your eye is the 40 foot twister! Besides the twister, there was also a giant Tesla coil, Rhodium (which is more expensive and durable than platinum), and even kids running on giant hamster wheels. It as like everything I've ever wanted, under one roof.

Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

The cherry on top was that on the way out I bought a desert that was an old childhood favorite.

Awesome

Lastly, it wouldn't be a Chicago trip without experiencing the the Blues scene. Unfortunately, I was only twenty (although not for long) so there weren't many options. Luckily though, there was a blues band playing at a joint called Smoke Daddy. Seeing Rockin' Johnny and his band play was an unexpectedly fun experience.

Rockin' Johnny at the Smoke Daddy

Overall Chicago left a wonderful impression. I talked with lots of people, ate exciting new foods, and enjoyed the best Chicago had to offer. That's why I'm giving Chicago the full five stars: ★★★★★