I meant to post these photos last year, but 2012 got away from me and I never found the time to work on this blog. So I was in Chicago for a job interview–I did not get the job–and though I was in the Chicago for less than twenty-four hours, I still enjoyed it. Most of what I saw was from riding the L-train from Chicago O’Hare to and from downtown, and then walking around downtown the night before and the morning of the interview.
Chicago has this old feeling to it that I immediately came to appreciate and long for. As the train dashed down the tracks I could see all of the old brick housing, built closely together and looking to be pre-World War II in construction. There were lots of decks built onto the rear such housing, usually on the second or third level of the buildings. Perhaps there are parts of the city where there are shiny new things, but I hope I don’t see them. I like the small, old brick buildings packed so tightly together. I like to imagine myself living in one of the units. Shame I don’t have any photos, but it was too dark outside and the training was moving too fast for my mobile phone camera.
Forgive the mobile phone camera shots…one of these days I’ll be able to get a digital SLR.
The L train runs above ground, and it curves around in a loop downtown and at times it appears the train is just inches away from buildings when making a turn. And yes, you can see into office buildings. The metal tracking running throughout the downtown area gives the city an industrial feel that I do not know how to explain…
You have to hike up the stairs to get to an L station, and I was surprised by the mix of heavy metal for the tracks, and then wood for the walking areas for passengers. It just adds to this old, industrial feel that I had when I was in the city.
A wooden platform, and there are booths on the platform with three glass walls and a heating element inside to help keep you warm in the strong Chicago wind during the winter.
The former Sears Tower, now called the Willis Tower
Hard to see in this smaller picture, but there were gargoyles and demons atop quite a few buildings. You are being watched…
The Chicago Stock Exchange…which no longer operates, but has let out the trading floor and offices to private companies t operate their businesses out of.
In the end I did not get the job; I did not quite have the skill-set that the potential employer was looking for. I am still glad I got to the opportunity to interview with the company, see the interesting work they are doing, and also a chance to see a bit of Chicago. In the future I would certainly consider another opportunity in Chicago, and I’d certainly entertain the opportunity to live in the neighborhoods of Chicago (versus the ‘burbs like Aurora). I love the old feel to the city and I think that the old feel and grittiness is a part of what makes Chicago unique from other North American cities.
And you certainly cannot beat the great public transportation! I was surprised to find that many interviewees at the company took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, rather than using the L system and hiking a few blocks to the hotel. Oh well though, their loss in my opinion.
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