Chicago

Small towns. You just have to love them. Contrarily, I stood surprised as I toured Chicago for a few hours and fell in love with it. I was like a kid in a toy store; every bright object caught my eye, and I ran up to it, only to see another interesting thing down the next aisle. The treat was towering buildings, sculptures, a waterway, bridges, and a plethora of shops and stores. Even trees! The trees ranged from denuded, fully partipating in autumn, to green. Many resisted exfoliation, holding stubbornly onto their yellow leaves in spite of the gusting winds. Yet other leaves skittered across the sidealks only to be stopped dead in their tracks by a puddle. The air hung pungent with the smells of autumn.
Chicago is a time machine. Building designs reflect the times; 30's brick with limestone trim, 60's pancake designs with curves, to 2000's of glass and steel. Speaking of steel, the Cloud is a fascinating piece of art. It's a huge metal cylinder that bends and twists. The surface is mirror reflective. The Cloud is becoming the most photographed object in Chicago. It's the world's most ego-centric art, as one cannot take a photo of it without taking their own picture. Yet it is fascinating to watch one's reflection twist, squish and distort, depending on the angle.
Millenium Park is a huge combination of art, benches, and entertainment. Built recently, it is a testament of spending money wildly, whether we had it or not. But the results are amazing. Chicago is called (aptly) the Windy City, but the objects in the park could change it to the Steel City. First, the aforementioned Cloud, then the ampitheater, a giant outdoor steel clamshell convention hall with dozens of rows of metal bars extending to the end of the grass, holding lights and speakers for a rewarding concert venue. Spattered throughout the park are steel statues of people, horses, and op art.
Chicago contained plenty of people, all bent on moving quickly from one place to another, apparently to excape the cold and wind, as few appeared dressed for it. Maybe it's just because I'm a desert rat. Vegas people bundle up,looking like Eskimos, when the temperatures plummet to sixty, or even less.
Only rewarded with a thin slice of Chicago due to an impending flight, I hunger to return and taste more of the pie.
One more day, one more adventure.