One thing we couldn’t ignore was just how violent the city can be. We knew that before we went, of course, but nothing quite prepares you for the nightly news feeling like a rolling report from a conflict zone. I’ll never forget hearing one police officer say, “You can understand them killing each other in gang warfare… but when you start killing the kids, something has to be done.” It was a sobering reminder that behind the skyline and the sunshine, real people are living with real fear.
But that’s only one side of Chicago. The other side — the one we experienced every day — was full of life. Baseball games under a blazing sky, long walks along the lakefront, the constant hum of the L trains, the energy of the Magnificent Mile, the quiet corners of parks and churches, the unexpected kindness of strangers. All of it left its mark. This journal isn’t just a record of where we went; it’s a snapshot of what the city felt like — its atmosphere, its quirks, its personality.
The hotel was lovely, even if our view wasn’t of the skyline. And truthfully, I don’t think we’ll be rushing back anytime soon — not because we didn’t enjoy it, but because we managed to see almost everything we’d hoped to. Chicago gave us a full experience, and it feels right to let it sit as it is for now.
There are still so many places in the USA calling our names: Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston… and of course, a return to New York City someday. And San Francisco — well, that’s a place that never really leaves you. I can easily see us wandering those hills again before too long.
We won’t be travelling in 2016, partly because of how my holidays fall and partly because it makes sense to save for the next big adventure. But we’re grateful we managed two trips to the States this year — something we enjoyed immensely.
Now that the journey is over, what remains are the memories: warm summer nights, odd little encounters with interesting people, the satisfaction of a trip that went smoothly, and the feeling of discovering a city properly, not just skimming its surface. Somewhere else in America will call us eventually — it always does — but for now, Chicago 2015 sits clearly in our minds, preserved in these pages, ready to revisit whenever we want to relive it.
And so, the Chicago vacation of 2015 comes to an end.
And so, with Chicago now safely tucked away in memory — its heat, its noise, its beauty, its chaos, and all the moments in between — we turn the page on this chapter of our travels. The bags are unpacked, the stories are written, and life at home begins to settle back into its familiar rhythm. But the road always calls again eventually, and when it does, we’ll be ready — passports in hand, curiosity intact, and hearts open for whatever the next journey brings.
Until the next adventure — Philadelphia, 2017 — I bid you farewell.
Jane & Con 2015
