Story: An Nhien
Photos: Shutterstock

Chicago welcomed our Vietnamese delegation with piercing cold gusts that cut through our layers of thick clothing. Though we had long known of its nickname, “the Windy City”, coming from the tropics, we could hardly imagine such biting chill. Yet the cold winds didn’t dampen our excitement to explore this beautiful city in America’s Midwest.

The L Train in downtown Chicago

Known as the cradle of modern architecture and the birthplace of the world’s first skyscrapers, Chicago is both quirky and captivating, with a distinct culture and hidden stories around every corner. For this reason, organizers of IPW 2025 – the international travel trade show we attended – chose Chicago to “bring the world to America” this year.

Heritage meets modernity

Many visitors to Chicago head straight to its famous skyscrapers, such as the Willis Tower or the John Hancock Center, with their lofty observation decks. Instead, our group chose to start with the streets below – to breathe the air and sense the pulse of the United States’ third-largest metropolis. Wandering along downtown avenues, we caught sight of a train gliding across a dark brown steel bridge. This was the Chicago L (short for “elevated”), a rapid transit system built in the late 19th century that still serves as a vital artery, operating 24 hours a day. Among the oldest systems of its kind in the world, the L was voted one of Chicago’s Seven Wonders by readers of the Chicago Tribune in 2005. In the gentle late afternoon light, watching a silver train slowly roll by, I felt a rare moment of calm amid the rush of this modern city.

The Bean stands out with its mirrored surface

Lake Michigan – a vast inland sea

Just a ten-minute walk east of Michigan Avenue through Grant Park brought us to the shores of Lake Michigan. Before us stretched an expanse of deep blue, dotted with countless white sails glistening under the sun. It was astonishing: though called a lake, Michigan covers a staggering 58,000 square kilometers, making it one of North America’s five Great Lakes. Though it extends far beyond Chicago, the lake is part of the city’s identity. Like the sea, it offers beaches, scenic parks, and attractions such as Navy Pier – with its restaurants, docks, and iconic Centennial Wheel – or the Museum Campus, home to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. Along the waterfront, locals strolled, jogged, cycled, rowed, or played in the sand, these simple scenes adding to Chicago’s charm.

The Bean – a gleaming icon

At Millennium Park, in the heart of downtown, stands Cloud Gate – better known as The Bean – Chicago’s iconic public sculpture. Created by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor and completed in 2006, the work was inspired by the idea of a “gateway of clouds.” Crafted from seamlessly welded stainless steel plates, it forms a massive mirror reflecting the sky, skyline, and surrounding buildings. Its colors shift with the weather: on our visit, storm clouds rolled in and heavy rain fell, turning The Bean a silvery white. We walked around and beneath its curved arch, taking countless photos of our reflections, stretched and distorted into whimsical shapes.

Chicago’s skyline at sunrise

Pilsen – Chicago’s Mexican heart

Perhaps the most memorable part of our stay was exploring Pilsen, a vibrant neighborhood with plenty of Mexican-American flair on the city’s West Side. Shortly after entering this area, we were greeted by immense murals bursting with color. Our guide paused to explain the stories they depicted – tales of independence, justice, and social equality. Across the street, a lively street band played Latin rhythms that compelled passersby to stop and sway to the beat of drums and guitars. Naturally, we decided to sample some authentic Mexican cuisine, finding a small corner eatery where we savored handmade tacos with homemade sauces, accompanied by rice and beans, and classic salt-rimmed margaritas. Satiated and content, I was no longer bothered by Chicago’s cold wind.

Chicago greeted us with icy gusts and weather that shifted countless times a day, yet what lingered most were the stories carried on every corner – warm, enduring tales that made the city not just one to see, but one to feel with the heart.