The Not so Obvious Lake Michigan

When you think of Chicago, what comes to mind? The Sears Tower ? The White Sox or the Bears? A mile long stretch of shopping? The Windy City? Maybe all of the above if you've never set foot in the jewel of the Midwest. But for those of us who call Chicago our home, these things are merely icing on the cake.

You can know geography backwards and forwards. You can look at a map of the United States and see how Illinois sits - seemingly wedged between Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan (sort of). You can notice the placement of the Great Lakes, and where they rest in relation to the city of Chicago. The obvious greatness of Lake Michigan is blinding. But if you never actually come to Chicago, this awareness will no doubt fall out of your mind, and disappear into oblivion.

When I arrived in the hometown of the 1893 World's Fair (which is another fascinating aspect of Chicago's rich and tumultuous history) five years ago, one thing left me awestruck. I took my time and let the color of this wonderful city wash over me. I walked around the downtown area, under the tracks of the El(evated) trains of the historic Loop. I stared up at the majestic height of the Sears Tower, on the edge of the Chicago River. I made a trek down Miracle Mile's consumer paradise of shops, boutiques and restaurants. I saw a White Sox game at U.S. Cellular field (formerly Comiskey Park), and a Bears game at Soldier Field (Not in the same month, obviously). I was nearly blown down by the force of strong winds that whip through the maze of towering skyscrapers, and really must be felt to be believed. I was even surprised to realize that the nickname of "Windy City" actually came about because of Chicago's ongoing rivalry with Cincinnati in the late 1800's. The home of the Reds felt Chicago was so boastful of their stature and abilities, that they dubbed them "The Windy City", and it stuck. But all the discoveries that I made during this orientation paled in comparison with the glaring object of, dare I say it, Chicago's best kept secret: the lake.