Travel: Chicago's Cloud Gate "The Bean"

I've been to Chicago several times over the last few years for work and fun. It's a great city and I always enjoy it. I've managed to see most of the tourist sites including: being on top of the Hancock tower, walking along Lake Michigan, seeing Wrigley Field and going out  to the bars over there, visiting my cousin in Bucktown, plus shopping and dining along the Magnificent Mile. However, in all those trips I had never seen Cloud Gate a.k.a "The Bean." The sculpture often appears in movies from The Vow and Source Code to the opening sequence of Starz' TV series Boss.

 

So, this July while I was in Chicago for BlogHer 13, I made a point to select a late flight home and take some time to walk over to Millennium Park. I'm so glad I did. The sculpture and the park is really beautiful and it was a pretty day for it. I also loved the energy around the art and all the other tourists were so happy and having fun trying to take photos in front of it, which isn't an easy task. I kept trying different angles, but not many worked as I would end up getting the top of my head or some disturbing looking selfies.

It is made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior reflects the city and sky and has no visible seams. If you circle it, it almost seems like the city is spinning by you as if you or it is moving. It is said the artist was inspired by liquid mercury, thus the movement feel to it too.

 

 Here is a picture form underneath the bean, in the very center. Despite being only a few feet away, you can barely see me reflected in the shot.  Instead, I seem even further away. So wild:

 

Also, here is a shot of the lake and view from The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Hancock Tower during a Virtual Piggy blogger brunch.

And along the canals at night. I thought this was so beautiful and serene.