Postcard : Chicago Watertower

The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property in the Old Chicago Water Tower District landmark district. It is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois. Located adjacent to Loyola University Chicago's downtown campus, the Water Tower serves as one of the Chicago Office of Tourism's Official Visitor's Centers.

The Chicago Water Tower is the second-oldest water tower in the world, after the Louisville Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky.
Constructed in 1869, the historic watertower survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
The Watertower is a famous but highly overlooked attraction in Chicago. Inside is a wonderful museum about its history. The tall building to the left is The Hancock.

Postcard : Chicago, fireworks over Lake Michigan

Fireworks explode over Lake Michigan and the magnificent skyline of Chicago.

Postcard : Chicago, the Sears Tower

The Sears Tower, Chicago's tallest building, dominates the beautiful skyline and the lakefront's Monroe Street Harbor and Buckingham Fountain.

Postcard : Chicago's Famed El Train

The 'L' (variously, and sometimes, styled "L", El, EL, or L) is a rapid transit system that serves the city of Chicago in the United States. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and is the third busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, behind New York City's New York City Subway, and Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail. It also is one of the few mass-transit systems offering 24 hour service in the U.S. The oldest section of the 'L' dates from 1892 making it the second oldest rapid transit system in the Americas after New York (where the oldest operating elevated sections date to the 1880s). It has been credited with helping create the densely built-up downtown that is one of Chicago's distinguishing features.Chicago's rapid transit system currently consists of eight principal routes. Since 1993 'L' lines have been identified by color, although older route names survive to some extent in CTA publications and popular usage to distinguish branches of longer lines.

Postcard : Chicago, the Bean

Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. It is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park within the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, and is located on top of Park Grill and adjacent to the Chase Promenade. The sculpture was constructed between 2004 and 2006 and was temporarily unveiled in the summer of 2004. Nicknamed "The Bean" because of its legume-like shape, its exterior consists of 168 highly polished stainless steel plates. It is 33 feet by 66 feet by 42 feet (10 m × 20 m × 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (99.8 t/98.2 long tons). The sculpture and the plaza are sometimes referred to jointly as "Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza" or "Cloud Gate on AT&T Plaza".

Cloud Gate has become a very popular sculpture that is known worldwide. Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture's exterior reflects and transforms the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's arch, which is 12 feet (3.7 m) high. On the underside of the sculpture is the omphalos, a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, although many tourists simply view the sculpture and its unique reflective properties as a photo-taking opportunity.

The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After being chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration before being concealed for completion.

Postcard : Chicago scenes

Wherever you travel to Chicago, the lake is not far away. The bustling atmosphere of the Loop and its many buildings, the harbors ands parks ...

Postcard from Susan :
"Chicago is a beautiful city where there is so much to do. We just had an ice storm and it is very cold here ! The city of Chicago decorates for Christmas. It is absolutely beautiful."

Postcard : Route 66 - Mainstreet of America

First contacts this week-end with penpals from Chicago. So first cards from the city should come this week to start really the trip ! Waiting that, I thank a lot Brenda who sent me a card about the Mainstreet for the official Postcrossing exchange, where she has the profile "9teen87", and registered as my first follower (very courageous and optimistic !). See her nice and interesting postcard blog where she loves working.