A Scoop on the Loop
Things I Noticed:
- The Bean
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Congress Hotel
- Millennium Park
- Grant Park
- Tourists
- Museum of Contemporary Photography
- Equestrian Indian Statue
This experience began on Thursday September 16th when I went to the museum of contemporary Photography for a project had in my photography class. The day began with me walking to the Fullerton station to take the red line to Harrison Street in the loop, I got on the extremely packed train and on the ride there I was looking at the CTA map and I noticed how simple, yet complex Chicago is and it really showed me the magnitude of Chicago and how many people populate this bustling city.
Stepping out of the train the Harrison stop I could smell the trains brakes and feel the underground humidity while a man plays his guitar for tips. I walked 2 blocks to go to the contemporary museum of photography. While at the museum I looked at their current exhibition ‘American Epidemic, Guns in the United States’, it was a very interesting exhibition because there was a lot of history between the photographs shown and in many of these pictures there was photos of the old streets of Chicago back in the 60’s and 70’s which is so interesting to see how the city was 60 years ago and how is has drastically transformed in the last couple of decades.
While walking on my way back to State Street station I saw a street taco place and I knew I had to stop by and get tacos. I could smell their food from a block away and it reminded me of the food that my mom made me at home. As I was waiting for my tacos I got into a deep conversation with the wife of the Restaurant’s owner, and I found out that they were from the same region of Mexico as my mom. The food really made feel like I was at home because the taste was so similar and now, I know where to go eat when I’m feeling homesick.
Right before I entered the Train station, I saw a man with an arm full of bracelets and one of the bracelets caught my attention which was a black bracelet with Chinese writing in gold paint, so I asked for the price and bought the bracelet. The money was supposedly going to a Buddhist organization, and I wanted to help the cause and get a good-looking bracelet in return.
How have you experienced the anonymity, variety, and conjunction of Chicago while walking?
While walking in Chicago I have experienced a variation of emotions but there is such an anonymity when it comes to the skyscrapers at the loop. There is no name or special characteristics that help distinguish many buildings on the skyline and many of us pedestrians don’t know what corporations operate in these buildings. I feel so close to this city yet so far because I only see tall buildings, but I don’t know the history and significance behind them. That doesn’t mean there is rich history in Chicago, if you look at the gold coast there is a story to every building and alleyway and you clearly know, just by looking, that there is a lot of history in many neighborhoods in Chicago but that could easily be hidden by the loop area which is visited much more often by tourists while these historic areas are less known about.
There is a unique feeling I get when walking in Chicago, it is just so intricate and beautiful at the same time, you can get lost just staring at the skyscrapers or strolling through a park. There is variety like no other in Chicago.
