Travelog V - Chicago
Sat 5 Dec, Chicago
Imagine that a large group of people got together and had the following conversation:
My friend (and fellow blogger) Fouad had spoken of Chicago before, calling it "the city I love more than a woman."
I knew I would like it, but I didn't expect that I too would fall in love with this city as quickly as I did.
To point at any one thing in particular would make it sound petty and invite comparisons that are neither here nor there.
There is a synergy of facets and forces that flows under its streets, furls up its graceful pillars and flirts with your senses, rousing you to life.
For that, Chicago, I thank you.
Imagine that a large group of people got together and had the following conversation:
"Let's build a city here by this lake"
"It's gotta be big, but warm like a neighborhood"
"Yes, and Modern, but cultured"
"stylish, but welcoming"
"Yes... and multi-ethnic but with a spirit of its own"
"What should call it?"
"Andrew"
"No, that's stupid"
"Ok, Chicago?"
"Yeah"
My friend (and fellow blogger) Fouad had spoken of Chicago before, calling it "the city I love more than a woman."I knew I would like it, but I didn't expect that I too would fall in love with this city as quickly as I did.
To point at any one thing in particular would make it sound petty and invite comparisons that are neither here nor there.
There is a synergy of facets and forces that flows under its streets, furls up its graceful pillars and flirts with your senses, rousing you to life.
For that, Chicago, I thank you.
posted by Ramzi at Sunday, December 04, 2005
7 Comments:
:)
Sadiki...you made me eager to visit Chicago! I thought your woman was the most beautiful city;)
hal 2ad? How come I didn't like it that much? Fouad and Ramzi I envy you guys! I mean it looks very nice, but the poverty and cleanlessness were things I couldn't overlook.
And beware the flashing blue lights, did they tell you about them Ramzi? The high-crime rate areas? Freaky :)
Brrrrrrrrr the coldddd, the freezing coldd
xylocaine, if ur on the west coast, ur in heaven my friend, no need to visit ;)
Walla, it's that good? That'll my next vacation spot then :)
Sure it's got it's fair share of bad weather in winter and it's ghettos down south, but it wouldn't be real without something that you find annoying.
I can't really say why I loved it but I did, maybe Foaud can elaborate?
Like you said, Ramzi, it's quite difficult to pinpoint. Is it because we both have inner latent architects? I guess it's no coincidence that my earliest "architectural" thoughts when I was about ten years old were on how and where to build the first bona fide skyscraper in Lebanon...
Anyway, to me, Chicago AND its tall buildings have a soul. A majestically human soul, a grand an fragile one, despite the steel and the concrete. Tens of spots I visited and thousands of people on the street and I felt like I knew them all. I don't know.
At any rate, I believe this is getting a little too sappy, so I will wisely choose to stop :)
Thanks for reviving Chi-town memories. That goes to you too, Abu Takla.
So it wasn't just me...i fell in love with Chicago first time i went there...and now i feel i have to visit every 2-3 months..just to walk on Michigan Ave and feel that i am part of Chicago..that i am one more person in that crowd!
It's not the skyscrapers that i like, and i've never been into architecture either..it's the way the very modern glass and steel skyscraper is right by older more artistic tiny churches, with the river in between them, yet they all fit together so well to give this windy city a personnality of its own. i guess i can't really describe that feeling either Ramzi..
And yes it does have ghettos but every american city does..Columbus (which is supposed to be the capital of Ohio) has 10 "tall" buildings in its downtown, and is still not safe either..go figure! As for the crazy cold wind..well i'm a tropical person, but i think i can compromise la 3youn chicago! Ramzi do you need an extra pair of hands to clean those windows at Sears! :)
Na
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