Chicago 2006

I'm finally putting up a few photos from my travels. I've still got my Jiuzhaigou and Hawaii pictures stashed away in one of the memory cards so the pictures will make their way here eventually.

Big brother and I at the big silver bean - officially known as the Cloud Gate - in Chicago's Millenium Park.

The bean was half covered for cleaning/restoration the last time I visited the city so it was a joy to see it shining in all its glory under the summer sun this year.

Since I didn't bring my camera with me two years ago, I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the grand hotel - the Palmer House Hilton - where the AWP conference took place. We attended talks and seminars, and also danced in a dark red ballroom. Imagine a bunch of writers - some very introverted - shuffling in time under the eyes of cherubs on the ceiling.

Within walking distance of the Hilton is the Harold Washington Library Center, one of Chicago's public libraries. It's a beautiful neo-classical building of red brick, stone, and granite, and a green aluminium roof with large ornamental sculptures. You can't quite miss it, walking along State Street, and yet it also fits perfectly with the rest of the industrial and Beaux-Arts architecture of the city. When I first saw it two years back, the sight of the massive building stopped me in my tracks. I did what I could with my camera phone but I knew I had to return one day with the Canon. This was the first stop my brother and I made upon entering the city. I rather wished Singapore could have buildings like these, but no, our new national library looks more like a white, sprawling space station.

I'd live there if I could. Farewell for a while, Chicago; I believe I'll return one day.

Posted by Monoceros at August 14, 2006 1:26 AM