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Word on the
Street
With the
slumping dollar and subsequent robust Euro, the United
States and Chicago continues to be a popular destination for
vacationing Europeans. On one of our particularly pleasant
but blustery Spring days, we encountered a group of
travelers needing direction.
WOTS: Hello, we're from Chicago Architecture Today and were conducting
interviews from individuals we identify as tourists visiting
our city? We can see you are attempting to make heads or
tails out the map your holding here in the atrium (of the
Illinois Center).
Group:
We are trying to find Rush Street. There is an Urban
Outfitters there we wanted to visit. Also, we are looking
for Disney Quest.
WOTS: We can help with that. But the Disney Quest request, we
can't because it's been out of business for more than a
decade. Sorry. So where are you from?
Group:
Brussels, Belgium. My name is Francois; that us Bernice,
Claire and Jeremy. Bernice is originally from Highland Park.
So she is like our guide here today.
WOTS: Are you vacationing here in Chicago?
Jeremy:
Well, we are here as a part of a student exchange program
through the university for a few months. There are
about 30 of us in total. They are out eleswhere.
WOTS: Which school have you located at?
Jeremy:
Actually, these three (Jeremy points to the two girls-Claire
and Bernice and the taller guy in the group-Francois) are
studying architecture specifically interior design at the
University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana.
WOTS: What is the school in Brussels you all attend?
Group:
It is called the Center of Advertising and Design (CAD). We
are second year students there.
WOTS:
So what about Chicago were you
knowledgeable of before your first trip over here?
Francois:
Umm...the Mafia...Al Capone.
WOTS:
Okaaay... Any thing about
our architecture?
François:
Oh yes, ahh Frank Lloyd Wright, and um Frank Gehry the
designer of the music pavilion in your Millennium Park.
WOTS: Any places you've seen or are looking forward to seeing?
Jeremy:
The shiny thing in the park (Cloud Gate, a.k.a "the Bean"),
Gehry's pavilion, the John Hancock Center.
WOTS: So how much longer are you visiting Chicago?
Jeremy:
We have about a week before we off to Brussels.
WOTS: Thank you for your time, and enjoy the rest of your stay
in Chicago!
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