Terry Travels B&W Photos #2

#Terry_Travels_BWPhotos2

The Austrian Border
 As i find this thatched roof structure during my hike, the owner tells me with proper maintenance it can last for over thirty years and is made from water reeds because of its durability
 Plus its a natural insulation for warm winters and cool summers

 

Plaza Mayor in Madrid
Throughout its history the square was the setting for theatrical performances, bullfights, public executions (during the Spanish Inquisition) and now public markets
But i am here looking for the rumored secret hidden tunnels and passageways,
 as once an explorer always as searcher 😀

Val Gardena Italy
My friends from here assumed all Canadians knew how to ski or snowboard, ah no 😅
So was content drinking some of the local wine

Salamanca
I am here in "The Golden City"
 It got its nickname from the local sandstone used in the construction of the buildings
 The powder in it makes the buildings glow a gold plus orange colors during the
direct sunlight onto the structures
Also if ever here look for the quirky carvings in the doors of some of the cathedrals, such as a dragon eating ice cream or of a stork, crayfish and maybe a hare if your lucky

Northern Morocco
I am tracing the ancient trading route used by the Romans
 and finding some old architecture along my route
Most of the area was plundered for its marble then used to construct other palaces in the area, so mostly empty but still full of history 

Venice
Did you know the city is built on 118 small islands within a lagoon that is connected
 by over 400 bridges
There are no cars here, so you can travel by walking or (as you can see above) by boat
With an "interesting fact"
 The Gondolas are required by law (enacted in the 16th century) to be painted black, so not to show displays of excessive wealth

South Island New Zealand
Tramping Aoraki / Mount Cook Park with its 72 named glaciers
 and 23 peaks over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet)

Marrakesh
Exploring the labyrinthine type maze that were not built for cars but people
as i make my way to the Medina 

Salzburg Austria
Looking for the city office that employs a professional team of "mountain cleaners" who actually inspect and (if needed) secure the cliffs of the surrounding peaks
 It has being a job for now over 350 years

Verona Italy
This arena is actually older than the Colosseum in Rome by 50 years and you can still see the "wing" section that is the original wall that was not destroyed in the earthquake in 1117
Modern Use
It still hosts an opera festival each year since 1913, major concerts and other type of events plus will be used during the closing ceremonies of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics

Rabat 
Searching the ruins for that local legend of the Mystical Eels which would
bring good fortune to all who fed them

Slovenia
Learning of the traditional way of drying hay using wooden structures called "kozolci"
 as i make my way to the Postojna Cave System

Valencia
Ordering an Aqua de Valencia Drink across from a Church
Created by accident in 1959, it contains (ironically) no water but freshly squeezed orange juice, cava which is a sparking wine, gin, vodka and added sugar
It was kept a secret for over a decade until it became too popular, so then the locals started telling the unsuspecting tourists that it was the stronger cousin to the Mimosa

Which then you are warned, to drink slowly or you will be seeing the Spanish Stars 😅

Cordoba
Having a Salmorejo
 It is a thick cold soup made from tomato, olive oil, bread, garlic and getting it topped off
 with hard boiled eggs

Swiss Alps
Did you know that this mountain range covers around 65%
total land area of Switzerland
Thus you learn to live with what is in your boundaries, so because of that the highest (in elevation) railway station in Europe is here (3454 meters- 11,332 feet)
 For that very reason, i am heading to Jungfraujoch 

Chicago Gotham City

#Chicago_Gotham_City

As i am taking the Architectural River Cruise, learning many things about Chicago
 (as one local told me) it is what New York wanted to be 😃

A) Movable Bridges: has more than all the other cities in the world
B) Backward-Flowing River; was engineered to reverse to keep the drinking water from being contaminated from the sewage 
C) Ground Raised; was hydraulically elevated several feet in the 1800s to create a better runoff system
D) Windy City; the nickname was first used by the newspaper here to mock the politicians
and not the weather
E) First Skyscraper; the worlds first steel framed tall structure was the
 Home Insurance Building in 1885

 

Gotham 
The name was first used to describe New York City by American author Washington Irving in the 1800s Then in 1941 by the comics to give the Batman series a real time feel to it
So both cities have been used for filming locations, but when here look for theses areas if your a fan

A) Chicago Board of Trade Building; was used for Wayne Enterprises 
B) Lower Wacker Drive; its multi-layered underground streets for the high speed chase scenes
C) Willis Tower; when Batman was surveying the city from its roof
D) Downtown Alleys; with the many used for the fight scenes against the criminals
E) Old Main Post Office; was the "bank" targeted by the Joker

Mag Mile
It was given the name from a developer who was changing the area from its past of mansions
 to a retail destination in 1947
Today it has over 460 stores plus shopping malls over a 13 block
 stretch of North Michigan Avenue

Fun Facts
A) Surviving Construction; the Old Chicago Water Tower (1867) is one of the few to be still standing after the Great Fire of 1871
B) Wrigley; was the first major structure to be built in the area which helped
spark the development 
C) Looking Glass Theatre; the Tony Award winning company in the Water Tower district and with its free gallery exhibits
D) Historic Properties; Drake Hotel, Tribune Tower plus the Palmolive Building

Father Time Clock
Was a gift in 1926 from the Elgin National Watch Company
 who was renting space in the building at 35 East Wacker Drive
Look for the figurine on top, of the bearded man holding an hourglass and a scythe
This represents the relentless passage of time 

The Jewelers Building 
A) Car Elevator; the structure was originally designed for diamond and jewelry merchants
  So it had a vehicle lift going up to the 22nd floor, all to avoid being mugged on the street
B) Al Capone; rumor had it he ran a Speakeasy (running of an illegal bar during the Prohibition era)
 on the top floor
But when that nightclub was opened he was in jail, so impossible
But a cool story😎 none the less
C) Movie Sets; Transformers and its giant robot battle, Batman as the City Courthouse , Home Alone 2 and Lost in New York (even know we know where this location is jajjaja)

Medinah Athletic Club (now InterContinental Hotel)
Was built in 1929 with the intent of a docking space for blimps with a structure on its spire,
but was never used

As Chicago had its own disaster with the Zeppelins, when in 1919 a Goodyear craft caught fire and crashed into the city which resulted in the deaths of 13 people (on the ground -10 bank employees)

Government Council within 6 hours after the tragedy passed an ordinance to regulate flying over the city, thus ending any early ambitions to be an airship hub 

Iconic Buildings

A) Wrigley Building; its clock tower is lit up every night since the 1920s 
The entire exterior is covered with 250,000 individual pieces of glazed white terra cotta tiles
 It has six different shades becoming lighter towards the top, to emphasize the buildings height

If you make it here you will notice no huge sign plastered on the side of the structure, but only a small brass plague as you enter the building
 As William Wrigley Jr. said; the structure itself and its unique appearance with its constant illumination is enough of an advertisement 
I like his style and way of thinking

B) Aqua Tower; has the unique facade that can extend out by 3.6 meters (12 feet) to give it the look
 of a rippling water effect
But it has a purpose; to maximize the views, reduces wind sway and provides natural solar shading which all blends into its sustainability status 
It also has one of the largest green roofs in Chicago, specific glass treatments to minimize bird strikes and a efficient water irrigation system

C) Palmolive Building; was originally built in 1929 and was the headquarters of
Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company
Also the Playboy Magazine was here (1965-1989) with then a residential conversion in the early 2000s

On the roof there was a powerful navigational light aid installed in 1930 to help guide planes into the Midway Airport, which was called the Lindbergh Beacon
After complaints by the local residents of the light (as the buildings kept being built more vertical) the beam was turned off in 1981, but restored in the 2000s and modified
to rotate back and forth just over Lake Michigan 

D) John Hancock Centre (875North Michigan Avenue); has the distinctive X-bracing on the outside This was for structural engineering innovation which allowed a more open concept interior,
 because less fewer internal support columns were needed.
 Also on the 44th floor there is Americas highest indoor pool plus a full service grocery store 
Onto the 94th level for the 360Chicago Observation Deck, where on a clear day you can see
 Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan

Food Choices
Hey when in any new area i am trying what the place is famous for

Deep Dish Pizza
Only started in 1943 and is made upside down to prevent the cheese from burning as the mozzarella goes directly on the crust, followed by the toppings (sausage is the most popular in Chicago) then a chunky layer of tomato sauce which takes 35 + minutes to bake
Rainbow Cone
Its sliced not scooped with five flavors (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla with cherries plus walnuts and pistachio almond) with orange sherbet on the top
During the Depression Era the founder created this idea as to offer something substantial and filling
 He was trying to convince people to spend their limited money on ice cream instead
 on a full meal which would be the same cost
Twinkies
Invented here in the 1930s, but had no more room left inside me 😅

Route 66
The "Mother Road" that starts in Chicago with the Illinois section the first to be paved 
When visiting the city, look for East Adams Street at South Michigan Avenue for a small "Start Historic Route 66" sign on a lamppost

The Beginnings
The idea was to connect hundreds of small rural towns in the Midwest and the West Coast of America
 The planners used the southerly alignment (along the 35th parallel) which was a better route to avoid the more extreme weather and the steep grades of the northern highways
Many Commuters
The growing trucking industry started using Route 66 to ship their goods
Then it was well traveled during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl eras,
 as hundreds of thousands used the road migrating to California
searching for a better life
Finally during the world conflict it was an important military transport corridor, used to move equipment, fuel plus troops to the west coast ports
Post-War Car Culture
The American road trip was born with the rise of more economic prosperity, better dependable automobiles plus the improved highway system, all led to a sense of freedom and exploration 

This started a boom in the roadside businesses like motels, diners and quirky attractions

Some Local Landmarks
Berghoff Restaurant
One of the oldest diners along the route and famously received the cities first post-prohibition
 liquor license in 1933
Dairy Queen
Opened on the highway in 1940 which now the building is now a local landmark
Historic Gas Stations
Look for Standard Oil and Amber-Becker 
Gemini Giant
The classic muffler man as a roadside photo stop

Charcoal Sketch
As i finish my drawing of the city, it is considered the birthplace of modern architecture
 and the skyscraper
 Until we meet again, i will miss your ambience Chi-Town