Buckingham Waterpark
2:04pm: While the fountain was spewing water out at full blast I watched in awe of how a structure of this stature could just be sitting in the middle of downtown Chicago and still take attention away from the beautiful skyline.
2:10pm: I walked fully around the fountain looking for the best view for a photo and ended up taking this photo with a semi-skyline in the back. As I walked around i saw numerous vendors selling tasty looking treats which was perfect because it was 85 degrees and the sun was beaming down in every direction.
2:20pm: Then comes the best part, as the water skyrockets a huge mist comes rushing towards me like a rainstorm. This was my favorite part of the walk because I was quite overheated and I was immediately refreshed by the gust of wet wind that soaked me from head to toe.
2:25pm: At this time, the area around the fountain was pretty calm but after about an hour there were people surrounding the fountain playing in the mist and just admiring it’s beauty. I found it very surprising that there were so many people on bikes and it made me want to hop on one and ride around the park. I believe there were so many people on bikes because of the new rental services that make it very easy to just pick up a bike and go.
2:30pm: The attitude of this street seemed very leisurely compared to other surrounding streets to Grant Park. The street was full of “touristy” people who were just casually hanging around the fountain not in a hurry to be anywhere important. I find this atmosphere very nostalgic and calming because it reminds me of home where nobody is in a big hurry and people take their time and enjoy their surroundings.
2:43pm: It is very hard to tell from the picture but this tiny little garden closed off from humans was a highlight of my walk. The purple flowers were being suffocated by hundreds of butterflies. I was upset that I could not get a closer picture but at the same time I was relieved that nobody would be able to get in by the flowers and butterflies and they could live in peace with the purple flowers.
2:45pm: I walk behind the garden where there is a street that I have never seen cars parked on because the only time I have really wandered around Grant Park was to attend music performances. Anyways, the streets around the park seemed quiet and peaceful with only a few pedestrians and a handful of bikers. This makes sense considering I took a walk in a park rather than through busy city streets. I prefer this walk to others because it feels like I am supposed to be there.
3:06pm: I begin to walk away from the fountain I had a view of many beautiful things in the distance. On my far right I could see the marina and all of the sail boats, directly in front of me was Lake Michigan, and on my right I had a view of my favorite spot in the city, the Adler Planetarium. I have grown fond of the planetarium because of what you can see from the lookout and the memories I hold there. I hardly come to Grant Park so seeing my favorite spot from a different view was very strange but beautiful.
3:10pm: I walk to the curb on Lake shore Dr. this spot was definitely the loudest spot on my walk because you could hear the water crashing, the cars honking, the seagulls squawking, and the fountain spraying behind me. There were many runners and bikers exercising along the lake which is not surprising because it is a very beautiful and nature filled spot downtown. I seemed to be the only one lingering in this part of the park which was surprising because more people were staring at the fountain while I could not keep my eyes off of the lake.
3:44pm: I walk to the left of the fountain, more and more vendors were appearing ready to sell their treats. I thought this day was strange because it is about to be October and there are people out in shorts and buying ice cream. This is rare but normal in Chicago because we are used to having random hot days in months that it is supposed to be chilly and rainy.
3:50pm: I look at the fountain form a distance and although it was so warm there were not as many people in the park compared to when it is this warm in June or July. It was nice because I still got to experience the park in the warm weather but without the huge crowds of people.
The app I found very helpful was the Google Arts and Culture app that tells you the history of a famous landmark or place anywhere in the world. I found out a lot more about the fountain than I would have ever known if I did not research. I think it is very important to know the history of a place when visiting so you can feel more connected to it and have a better understanding of why it exists in the first place. I think this is important because you start to develop a sense of place while visiting places. By this I mean, places have their own identities and when you form relationships with a place you start to understand their identities and they become a place where your memories are kept and emotional ties are formed. After my experiences today I have a new relationship with Grant Park than before. I can now walk or drive past the park and fountain and remember things that make me happy unlike before where I just remembered crowds and my feet hurting.
Although I spent majority of my time in the middle of the park by the fountain I walked from Jackson station down to the lake and around that area.
This video is interesting because the sound changes from the water in the fountain, to the wind coming from the lake, to the noise of the bugs in the grassy area of the park.
