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Hello everyone! I did a 2 weeks long trip in the US recently, so I obviously took a lot of pictures, all worthy of a trip report here :)

My destination was Iowa, in the middle of the country, but I also spent a weekend in Chicago, since it was the closest large city around. Anyway, I'm sure you'll find Iowa interesting as well, since not many people go there and visit it :)

Two busy weeks meant that there was not much time for tourism, but I managed to squeeze any free hour and go see something, so here's the plan:

1. Des Moines, IA
2. Iowa City, IA
3. Coralville, IA (my main location) + Amana Colonies & surroundings
4. Chicago, IL

I'll start with the (long as fuck) trip to Iowa, composed of three flights. As always, your feedback is appreciated :)

Very nice, very nice. How much?

^^
Pretty damn expensive :)


So, the long way to Iowa: I had to take 3 flights to the destination: a British Airways flight from Otopeni to Heathrow, an American Airlines to Chicago O'Hare and the last leg, Chautauqua Airlines (that's right) from Chicago to the Eastern Iowa Airport, Hair-Care and Tire Centre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa :lol:

Nice seats in the A320 British. Food, however, was inferior to the one Tarom is giving, at least in my opinion
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The flight-path to London was very interesting: I flew over Budapest, Frankfurt, Aachen, Liege, Leuven, Brussels, Bruges, the Thames Estuary and London.

Here's Frankfurt and its Airport
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And Brugge/Bruges
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Zeebrugge with Blankenberge in the upper-right
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The Belgian coast. Oostende in the middle
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One last look over Europe
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Some place in Greater London
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London
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The American Airlines B777 that was going to take me over the Atlantic (below). Now, a thing about flying to America. Never in my life have I been more controlled, checked, double-checked, verified than now, when I flew to America. It was getting almost ridiculous at some point. So it goes like this: Say you are at Heathrow, Terminal 3, and you go to the gate where your flight should depart from. First, security, as in any other airport. After that, you have to go to the American Airlines desk for further discussions. You get there and an Indian lady stops you half-way down the road: passport, boarding pass, how many luggages, do you have weird stuff inside them, did you packed them, why are you going to America, etc.

Then, you go to the AA desk, where a large Indian dude with a turban (a Sikh, I would presume) asks for your passport, boarding pass, and then asks you where are you going exactly, why, what's your address in the US, how long are you staying, is this your first time, purpose of visit, etc.

That goes well, so you proceed towards the gate, pass the useless airport shops in T3 (jewellery, perfumes, 2012 Olympics mascots, iPhones, but not much food except sushi and some donuts) and then the fun begins again: a lady asks for your passport and boarding pass. After that, an old Indian dude with rubber gloves smiles at you and says: "hello sir, this is just a simple routine procedure, please open your bag and leave it on the table, take off your shoes, than stand here with your arms raised." So he checks you don't have any AK47 or Rambo knives under your T-Shirt that the other dudes so far missed, and you finally go and take a sit in the waiting area for AA flights to America. Mind you, the waiting areas for flights to America are enclosed in glass walls, and you are warned that once you enter, there is no access to Toilets.

Eventually you get on the plane and you take off. I had seat 43F, which means right at the back of the plane, in the middle. So yeah, no pics of the Atlantic, Ireland, Greenland, etc :(

Before landing in Chicago, you fill in 2 forms to tell the US Government who you are, why are you going there, where are you staying, if you bring food with you, or fruit, animal products, etc, etc.
Once you land, you have to wait at a huge line for Immigration. The American citizens and residents also wait at a huge line, but it moves faster. Eventually, 2 and a half hours later, you get to the Immigration desk, where the US Border and Customs Protection officer asks for your passport and those two forms, and then asks, for the billionth time, why are you going there, for how long, where will you be staying.....

Then you have to take your luggage, clear customs, and go to the next flight, so I had to go through almost all this stuff again. Don't even get me started :lol:

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Upon arrival, this was in my bag
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And some pics from Chicago O'Hare Airport, Terminal 3
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A Boeing 757, going to Manchester
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"Welcome to the United States. Enjoy your stay." TSA style.:lol:
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^^
Yeah, I love it that they start with "To protect you and your fellow passengers" :lol: Luckily, I only had a large mountain backpack, so they didn't had to break any locks.

Well, I'm waiting for the next round of cultural learnings.

London
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That's only S-East London :|
Looking forward to the rest of the report :banana: :banana: :banana:

That's only S-East London :|
Yes, you are right. I didn't take pictures of the rest, I preferred to just stare at it :) Also, my mouth was wide open when we flew really, really low over Windsor Castle :drool:

Well, I'm waiting for the next round of cultural learnings.

Looking forward to the rest of the report :banana: :banana: :banana:
I know, I was out all day today, but I'll start posting as soon as possible :okay:

Des Moines
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/NewDesMoinesLogo.png

Des Moines is the capital and the largest city in the state of Iowa. There's not much to say about it, really, it has a very small "historic district" (by Iowan standards) and a small business district in downtown, with a handful of skyscrapers and highrises. I only went there because I had half a day to spare, it was relatively close (100 miles on Interstate 80) and since I was in the US for the first time, everything was interesting to me :)

801 Grand, the tallest building in Iowa (192 meters)
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801 Grand, the tallest building in Iowa (192 meters)
Still way more than enough to kick our ass.:lol:

These first pics of the city are a nice surprise. :) Btw, vinterriket, I started playing this when I saw the pics, just to help me feel like I'm in Des Moines. :lol:

zn7KCVLXRQY

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Believe me, I would like to tell you what these buildings are, but I have no idea
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These first pics of Des Moines are a nice surprise. :)
I guess you will enjoy Iowa City too :) I liked Iowa City much more than Des Moines. It looks better, and it's more lively and international (mostly due to the University there).

It's not a ghost town :) I happened to go there on a holiday (Memorial Day) and most people were out somewhere, it seems. It was, however, very strange to be the only(!) person on the streets in downtown, let alone tourist :nuts:
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I think my left arm is longer or something... many pics of mine are tilted to the right...
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Library
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YMCA
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Watering plants
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Des Moines River
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Iowa State Capitol. Built between 1871 and 1886
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I think this was the Court House
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Nice slogan
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That was all from Des Moines. Now, a clip from I-80, while driving back from Des Moines to Coralville. I used duct tape to fix my camera on the dashboard, so don't expect anything professional :)

A personal impression on the infrastructure in Iowa and Illinois: it was the biggest negative surprise I had in US. First of all, everything is concrete. Roads, motorways, sidewalks... everything. On the interstate, you can feel all the cracks and separations in the concrete, and the noise is louder. It may not show in the video, but it feels when you are driving. Also, the markings are mediocre, and quite often you will find gravel on the hard shoulder.
I don't think I am exaggerating if I say that the motorways we now have in Romania (yeah, those stubs) are superior, at least in terms of comfort.

As for the rest of the local roads, I would mark them as yellow on our map (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=87854417&postcount=1) with no hesitation. Potholes, concrete slabs, crappy markings and almost no road signalling like "Baicoi -->". I know most people use GPS now, but come on, they are not even trying...

Of course, I'm only speaking about Iowa and Illinois, where I've driven about 1000 miles.

OXlzqs_eaoU

Faină excursie!

Now some pics from Iowa City and the area around it

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Hotel room
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Window view
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A local restaurant
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And very good food :okay:
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Entering Iowa City
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No comment
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More good food
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Through Iowa City
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The old State Capitol of Iowa. Before moving to Des Moines, the capital of the state was in Iowa City
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The smoke in the background comes from The Great Iowa City Landfill Fire (http://thegazette.com/2012/06/08/iowa-city-landfill-fire-could-be-completely-covered-by-next-week/) :crazy: It started the day I arrived in Iowa (the smoke column was so huge that I thought it was a thunder cloud as I saw it from the plane), and by the time I left, it was still burning...
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Building of the University
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My means of transportation during my stay in the US
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One of the oldest buildings in the city
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The Masonic Temple
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Iowa....America's Ialomita.

^^
An accurate comparison, indeed :)

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Mail Male Box
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Right lane must turn right. :lol:

Epic sign is epic.

Right lane must turn right. :lol:

Epic sign is epic.

a right lane must not always turn right but sometimes it must.

I know. :)

I don't always turn, but when I do - right.

And a clip of me driving through a suburb of Iowa City in the morning

wAgxPSvhOf0

Foarte faine pozele vinterriket.
Ce observ din pozele tale este ca la capitolul calitatea drumurilor stau let just say not so good. Banda de accelerare se termina brusc fara sageti, marcajele sunt putine iar calitatea asfaltului (vorba vine) e chiar proasta.
In alta ordine de idei imi plac spatiile verzi largi si destul de ingrijite si feelingul acela de USA :)

Sper ca mai pui poze. :cheers:

P.S. Foarte tare primul post (titlul) :)

Nice trip report and also good pictures taken. :) Keep them coming please. :)

If I were to ask something...Why they don't feel like trimming the trees ?

Foarte faine pozele vinterriket.
Ce observ din pozele tale este ca la capitolul calitatea drumurilor stau let just say not so good. Banda de accelerare se termina brusc fara sageti, marcajele sunt putine iar calitatea asfaltului (vorba vine) e chiar proasta.

My feeling too :) See here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=92463869&postcount=37)

If I were to ask something...Why they don't feel like trimming the trees ?
Hmm, I don't know. Actually, I didn't even notice it, and I kind of like them natural. At least they don't paint them white at the bottom :D

Sper ca mai pui poze. :cheers:

Keep them coming please. :)
Yes, more pics to follow, but it depends on how much time I have on my hands. There are some more pics from around Iowa City, and then I will start with Chicago :)

Btw, vinterriket, I started playing this when I saw the pics, just to help me feel like I'm in Des Moines. :lol:

zn7KCVLXRQY
LOL, Yeah, I didn't saw you edit that post, and only now I was surprised to see Inna on the front page of my thread :lol:

@everybody: Just so you know what Cosmin means... when I was in Des Moines, I saw about 3 cars running on the streets, and the only one playing loud music inside was listening to Inna :crazy:

Around Iowa City. The Devonian Fossil Gorge. A few years ago, during a period of floods, the Coralville Dam (pics to follow) got so full that water ran over the spillway. So large was the flow that it took away trees and soil and carved a small canion in the bedrock. When people came to look at it later, they found that the exposed layers of rock were full of fossils. So they organised a small outdoor fossil exhibit. The fossils are so abundant that you are literary walking on them :)
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The dam spillway (upper right) and the carved valley with fossils
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View of the Coralville Lake from the dam
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Eagles/hawks/wtv
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The road on the dam
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Going for a ride on the lake
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The dam, seen from the lake
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The Very Long Baseline Array in North Liberty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Long_Baseline_Array)
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Some houses in a suburb of Iowa City
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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/iowa%26coralville/4/DSC_4315x1000.jpg

Nice houses...tipical for North America,but i like them.I love the grass around the houses and near the street.It looks great.Do you know the materials that they use for the construction of these houses?I think they use a lot of wood,but I'm not sure...

^^
It's wood as far as I know (I asked some locals) but I don't know the details, whether it's timber, or some prefabricated stuff... But they look and feel quite solid, though.

[QUOTE=vinterriket;92558804]https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/iowa%26coralville/4/DSC_4307x1000.jpg

^^ i sure wish i had grown up here.

great pics. great trip. envy you. :lol::cheers:

Amana Colonies (http://amanacolonies.com/)

http://amanacolonies.com/templates/amana/images/amana-colonies-logo.png

The Amana Colonies are a group of villages in central Iowa, founded in the middle 19th century. At that time, a group of hardcore Christians in Germany emigrated to the US to live isolated according to their principles. First, they settled in up-state New York, but later found Iowa to be more suited to their need of isolation. Can't imagine why :nuts:

Anyway, nowadays the Amana Colonies are a tourist destination and a US Historic Landmark. Basically they are small old villages with tiny houses, all with a hint of German. I'm not sure, however, how much of the authentic stuff remains and how much is tourist attraction.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/amana/DSC_4278x1000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/amana/DSC_4299x1000.jpg

This pole was planted in a small park in Amana. It's English and German, probably a dialect. A similar pole with the same message can be found in the courtyard of the US Embassy in Bucharest. I found the latter to be kind of ironic...
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/amana/DSC_4300x1000.jpg

Excelent trip report from Ialomița Iowa :cheers:

Chicago

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Municipal_Flag_of_Chicago.svg/200px-Municipal_Flag_of_Chicago.svg.png

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/Untitled-2.jpg

I was in Chicago for two days (one weekend) and I tried to see as much as possible in the short time. It was harder than I thought, as Chicago proved to be less user-friendly than I would have expected. At least if I am to compare it to the large European capitals.

Anyway, Chicago is a very interesting place to visit, with an interesting history and numerous examples of great architecture. The river and the lake are huge bonuses, that add a lot to its character.


Entering the city from the North-West
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3702x1000.jpg

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Going down Route 41, with Lake Michigan on the left
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3708x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3709x1000.jpg

The History Museum
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3714x1000.jpg

Residential complex
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3715x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3716x1000.jpg

A first glimpse of the skyline, from the South
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/1/DSC_3719x10000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/2/DSC_3726x1000.jpg

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You can see the Sears Tower in the background
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/2/DSC_3733x1000.jpg

Rail transport is not that popular...
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/2/DSC_3738x1000.jpg

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Sears Tower. The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. 442 meters and 108 floors. And yes, I know it's called Willis now, but I think it's a shitty name and that such landmarks should keep their name with which they've entered the public conscience.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3755x1000.jpg

And some views from the observation deck on the top
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3757x1000.jpg

In this pic you can see three of the tallest buildings in Chicago (r to l): AON Center, Trump Tower and John Hancock Center
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3758x1000.jpg

View towards the North
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3759x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3760x1000.jpg

North-West view
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3761x1000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3764x10000.jpg

No pics with the famous Chicago loop from the top of Willis :rant: Sears Tower? Shame on you! :yes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1_U_YXfJ9Bo/TfEtG8gC7vI/AAAAAAAACkI/rp6K5ir9yTA/s912/USA%25202009%2520%2520%25201742.jpg

And do you have a pic of the skydeck?

http://students.egfi-k12.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Skydeck_Chicago4.jpg

Patience, young one, for I am not finished yet with the posting. Much more is yet to come :)

Here it is, bogdymol :)
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3765x10000.jpg

View to the South-East
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3767x1000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3772x1000.jpg

And the skydeck. Well, 2 of them. The third one had a professional camera installed and a lady would take pictures of you alone. Then, at the front desk, you could buy them. At $20 a piece :D
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3774x1000.jpg

Continuing down on the ground
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3777x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3778x1000.jpg

Cruising on the river
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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3782x1000.jpg

Chicago Union Station. No pics from inside, since the most interesting part was "closed due to a private event". What I did saw was that boarding a train here is like boarding a plane: you wait for the gate to open in order to go to the platforms where the trains are. And those are some big-ass ugly trains.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3783x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3787x1000.jpg

Marina Bay Towers
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3789x1000.jpg

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Traffic jam. Chicago style
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3795x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3794x1000.jpg

Close-up
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3794x2000.jpg

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Trump Tower. 423 meters, 98 floors
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3802x1000.jpg

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35 East Wacker
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3807x1000.jpg

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Some people are so poor that they have to move around in rafts on the river...
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3813x1000.jpg

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Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower. Imagine a city of Neo-Gothic skyscrapers... :drool:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3817x1000.jpg

Entrance to the London Guarantee Building
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3818x1000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3822x1000.jpg

View to the North, on Michigan Avenue
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3823x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3824x1000.jpg

Carbide and Carbon Building. Probably my favourite in Chicago
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3825x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3826x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3827x1000.jpg

Ever wanted to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and didn't knew where to go? Now you know:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3828x1000.jpg

The top of the Carbide and Carbon Building
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3829x1000.jpg

These n00bs could use a bit of Romanian expertise. A roundabout would've sufficed there.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/3/DSC_3765x10000.jpg
Here be Jan. :yes:
Marina Bay Towers
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3789x1000.jpg

^^
Yes, Mr. Klerks helps with the parking at the lower floors for a tip :troll:

LOL! It was nice working with you, soon-to-be ex-mod. :troll:

I'm sure Jan doesn't venture this far in the depths of the SSC. Right? :shifty:

But little carrier hamsters with links can venture far, all the way to his "in box", via an intricate network of tubes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes) powered by steam. :troll:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3830x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3831x1000.jpg

AON Center. 346 meters, 83 floors
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3832x1000.jpg

I had to point the camera straight up to take this shot
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3833x1000.jpg

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Aqua (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_%28skyscraper%29)
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3844x1000.jpg

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NBC Tower
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3865x1000.jpg

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https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3872x1000.jpg

Man, Aqua looks kickass.:drool: Also, a very nice shot of that fire station. :okay:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3876x1000.jpg

Tribune Tower
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3874x1000.jpg

Man, Aqua looks kickass.:drool: Also, a very nice shot of that fire station. :okay:
Thanks :) Yeah, Aqua looks awesome, and I bet it changes looks during the day, depending on the Sun, light, etc. To bad it's somewhat hidden closely between other boxy giants.
The fire station was right next to Aqua.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3877x1000.jpg

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Entrance to the Tribune Tower
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3880x1000.jpg

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John Hankock Center
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3889x1000.jpg

Side view
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3891x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3890x1000.jpg

John Hankock Center during the evening
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3901x1000.jpg

Waiting for the night to set in, so I can go and see the city from the top :D
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3894x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3904x1000.jpg

Chicago from the top of John Hankock Center. Now, unlike Tour Montparnasse in Paris, where the panoramic platform is literally on top of the building, in Chicago (both at Sears Tower as well as John Hankock Center) it's inside the building, and you just look through the windows, safely separated from the "elements". The really bad side is that they just couldn't help open some cafes and souvenir shops, all light up like Christmas, and all the light reflects in the windows, making night shots a real pain in the ass. I just made a selection of the few decent shots I managed to take.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3910x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3911x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3925x1000.jpg

Lake Michigan on the left, with the moonlight reflecting off its surface
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3950x1000.jpg

View to the West, the low-rise part of the city, where all the people live
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3934x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3936x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3937x1000.jpg

To the North
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3953x1000.jpg

And a view towards South, with most of downtown
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3962x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3960x1000.jpg

The two giants
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/6/DSC_3944x1000.jpg

In the elevator, going down
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/7/DSC_3976x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/7/DSC_3978x1000.jpg

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Fireworks on the lake
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/7/DSC_3989x1000.jpg

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Hotel room in Chicago
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/7/DSC_4058x1000.jpg

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Tomorrow (I hope) I'll start posting pics from the second day in Chicago :)

Your pics are... fabulous! :drool:

1. Are this 2 buildings (https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3789x1000.jpg) used entierely for car parking? I remember when I was in Chicago that the price for parking your car in the downtown were enormous.
2. "I had to point the camera straight up to take this shot" (https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/5/DSC_3833x1000.jpg). Mine was better (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Kp9ub3X0hYc/T-lhxGRSkTI/AAAAAAAAHlw/coLVCkxNRtE/s765/USA+2009+++1768.jpg) :D
3. Night shots from the top of Chicago... :drool: :drool: :drool:

1. Are this 2 buildings (https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/4/DSC_3789x1000.jpg) used entierely for car parking? I remember when I was in Chicago that the price for parking your car in the downtown were enormous.
LOL, no :) Marina Bay Towers are residential. Only the lower floors are for parking. If you look closely you can see that the balconies have windows, and even people :)

Yes, parking in the downtown is quite expensive, but you can still find places at a reasonable price: http://chicago.bestparking.com/#1

Fabulous pics, great photographer, outstanding country, God bless you vinterriket!:)

God bless you vinterriket!:)
Well...thanks! I sure don't hear that often :) I'm glad you liked the pics so far. There's more to come, but I'm such a lazy ass...

Second day in Chicago :)

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4066x1000.jpg

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Lake Michigan. Beautiful weather
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4070x1000.jpg

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Do you remember the fountain in the opening from Married With Children (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAKaJE4gjYg)? :) It's this one:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4077x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4078x1000.jpg

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Outdoor theatre
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4088x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4089x1000.jpg

Cloud Gate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Gate)
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4092x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/8/DSC_4093x1000.jpg

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Next page....

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Old and new :) Trump Tower and Carbide and Carbon
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/9/DSC_4117x1000.jpg

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NBC Tower again
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/9/DSC_4143x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/9/DSC_4146x1000.jpg

Cool thread :D

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4151x1000.jpg

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Lake Michigan
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4158x1000.jpg

Navy Pier Chicago
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4162x1000.jpg

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Soon...
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4191x1000.jpg

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Looks like someone went to Paris :)
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4232x1000.jpg

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:bowtie:

Multumesc vinterriket!
Experienta pentru toata viata

:bowtie:


Si noi :cheers:

What? Already? :(

http://zipmeme.com/uploads/generated/g1336120058969486087.jpg

Thanks for the effort, it was awesome! :cheers:

What? Already? :(
Yeah, but 12 pages is not that bad for just three cities :)

Thanks for the effort, it was awesome! :cheers:
You're welcome :cheers:

Thanks :cheers2:

Thanks. Quite awesome ! :drool:

Of course it's awesome. America is NUMBER OOOONEEE!!!

Thanks. Quite awesome ! :drool:
I'm glad you liked it :cheers:
Of course it's awesome. America is NUMBER OOOONEEE!!!
'murricah! Fuck Yeah!

OmGFVLZC3os

:crazy:

:applause:

http://i.imgur.com/smlIe.jpg

Been there (Gotham Chicago), done that (Magnificent Mile, Hancock, Sears, architectural boat tour (http://www.chicagoline.com/architectural.php) etc), loved it!

Going back next May!

This thread brings back so many memories ...

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa/chicago/10/DSC_4220x1000.jpg

swastika??? :ohno:

swastika??? :ohno:
:D

Not really, the nazi swastika has the tips of the cross to the right.

Foarte frumoase poze, să nu uităm că la Chicago (Windy City) s-a născut conceptul de zgârie-nor!

What? Already? :(
It's back! :banana:


Right, so I had to do another trip to the US these past two weeks, and since I've been back to Iowa (and a bit of Chicago), there's no point to open another thread, so I'll just continue with this one :)

Less time for trips this time, so I just tried to see things I missed last time. Therefore, the plan this time is like this:

Davenport, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
+Bonus: a bit of Chicago in November.

Chicago wasn't planed, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to spend 11 hours at Chicago O'Hare Airport returning to Romania, so I just took the train (the L) to the city for a few hours. It would have been a shame not to :)

^^

http://img.clubic.com/03524582-photo-msil-zeven.jpg

Because the pic you quoted is hosted on zipmeme.com

But anyway... I'm waiting for your new pics from the land of freedom...

^^
Pic removed. It's strange, I don't get that warning unless I open it separately.

Anyway, pics are coming soon.

First and foremost, some pics from the looong trip there. This time it was not American Airlines via London, but Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. And that means a 12 hour flight from Istanbul to Chicago. In total, Bucharest-Istanbul-Cedar Rapids Iowa, 14 hours of flying and about 8 spent in airports. I was not really ready for such a long trip...

I'd like to begin by saying I became a fan of Turkish Airlines :D By far the best services I found on an airline. The most comfortable seats, with adjustable lumbar support, big LCD screens, two external cameras on the airplane viewable at all times.

The in-flight entertainment was great, with way over 500 (!) movies, including the entire Godfather, Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings series. A lot of music, including the Holy Qur'an :D
The Food: salmon at economy, real butter (not that "spread" bullshit others give), two types of red wine, three types of white wine, whiskey, gin, raki, etc. Also, stainless steel cutlery :okay:
For life on board: eye cover for sleep, socks, ear plugs, toothpaste and toothbrush, lip balm.

I heard some Asian companies are even better, but so far, Turkish was quite a positive surprise. I guess they don't give the "best airline in Europe" award twice for nothing :)


At Istanbul airport, waiting for departure.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6702x1000.jpg

Big screens. I like big screens
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6703x1000.jpg

2-4-2
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6705x1000.jpg

The box containing the socks, toothbrush, etc, and the Customs Form for US
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6706x1000.jpg

Contents of the box
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6711x1000.jpg

Peanuts
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6712x1000.jpg

They even give you a menu
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6713x1000.jpg

The Danube. Left: Ruse, Bulgaria. Right: Giurgiu, Romania
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6707x1000.jpg

Bottom of the pic is Sweden. In the background is the Danish coast
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6720x1000.jpg

Above the North Atlantic
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6729x1000.jpg

The Labrador Coast, Canada
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6741x1000.jpg

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/usofa2/DSC_6742x1000.jpg

good stuff :cheers: