Work hard, Play hard

 IPW is an international tourism conference/travel trade show with about 5,000 participants this year, from 65 countries. Each country sends over a group of tour operators/travel agents and a (smaller) group of journalists. Our German media group consisted of about 20-25 members, a little less than usually. 

Sunday was still a bit more relaxed with German VUSA Breakfast, Press Brunch and baseball, but, from Monday to Wednesday days were packed, from early morning, 7:30 am, to late in the evening. During the day we had business appointments, press conferences, workshops, networking time, and, in the evenings, parties of different destinations took place. In addition, there was the opening and the closing party for all participants. 

It's been exhausting, but interesting, it is not so much about planning research trips, but about meeting with people and gathering ideas. Following a couple of photos showing the event. See captions for details.

Opening event at the Field Museum, home to famous "Sue", the largest Tyrannosaurus rex discovered.

,,, and they have a great Native American collection as well:

View from the outside patio towards Chicago's skyline.

Monday - Media Market Place - with business appointments all day:

Broadway Luncheon. NYC and Broadway always sponsor one of the lunches for all participants and brings some cast members from different new musical productions over. On the pic: a presentation of "Buena Vista Social Club".

Press Conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday, some of them pretty boring, others exciting. Tennessee brought several musicians, North Dakota flew Teddy Roosevelt in. Reason: There is a new Presidential Center for this president under construction in the Badlands of North Dakota. Looking forward to see it once it's accomplished (next year).

 

Below, the big Exhibition Hall with boothes of destinations, hotels, tour operators and others:

Entrance to the Exhibition Hall:

One of the absolute party highlights was a concert of Darius Rucker in the House of Blues. Travel South had sponsored this concert and it was tough to get tickets. We made it!!! Great Southern food, too.

Traveling,,, after business appointments we had to travel quite a bit to get from one event to the next one in the evening. Usually, we took the train to get around. Here, we are waiting at the Convention Center station.

Above, right: view from a rooftop party, to which NYC invited. Always fancy parties!

Walking over to the next one, having a gorgeous night view of the Chicago River:

Texas Party - another highlight. Good music, excellent food, and for a change, it was possible to have a conversation. Otherwise it's usually very loud and crowded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beef brisket (pic), ribs and steaks were being served:

,,, and give-aways in abundance. We will take the lasso home, not the hat!

Further below photos of the closing event at Navy Pier. Such a agreat location, but, unfortunately, we had rain and heavy thunderstorms and they needed to move the whole event inside. Liked the DJayne and the fireworks at the end.

On the way to Toronto now. New adventures waiting. Exhausted, but it's been a productive couple of days in Chicago.

Chicago - city of neighborhoods

First things first. 

First chore this morning after a fitful sleep: a bus ride from the hotel to McCormick Place Convention Center. We registered in the press room and got our "badges", talked to colleagues and reps, registered for the media tours and checked what else is going on. Boothes in the main hall were being st up, signage installed (photos below).

 

 

Late morning we departed and took the train to Wicker Park. While in town, we wanted to explore some neighborhoods, to see what has changed since our last visit to Chicago two years ago, and, what's new, always useful for the next update of our Chicago guidebook. 

Wicker Park is an artsy, eclectic neighborhood, lots of vintage clothing stores like "Ragstock" (photo), bookstores like famous "Myoptic", clubs, bars and cafés. 

 

After a quick "pick-me-up" - donuts and cold coffee - at "Stan's Donuts" we took the train back into downtown and walked over to Millenium Park with the famous "Bean", Lurie Garden and Pritzger Pavilion. Passed by a huge protest against the Trump administration, showing clearly, that not all of America favours their current president (photos below).

Chicago Art Museum

The Bean

Lurie Garden

Pritzger Pavilion

After a cloudy, humid start into the day, skies had cleared up and sun was out! Architecture Center next, always worth a visit thanks to its superb city model, which is constantly added on.

Exhibition about Wrigley Field, more on that tomorrow!

Then we took the "L", an elevated train, to Ravenswood,  a green, residential neighborhood, founded in 1868 as a suburb to Chicago. Never have been here before. Historic houses, tree-lined streets and the so-called "Malt Row", a series of  microbreweries like Begygle, Dovetail and - our favorite because of a dozen of different "Hazy IPAs" - Hop Butcher for the World. 

 

 

 

Train trip back to downtown took a good half hour, but was great, since the train rims on elevated tracks and offers great views. Walked part of the Riverwalk back to the hotel at sunset.

 

A dozen (or even more?) visits to Chicago,,,

We were trying to figure out the correct number of visits to Chicago on the plane, which was packed to the limit. All seats taken - Eco Plus gave us at least a little more leg room, and, flight time was "only“" 8+ smooth hours. From the beginning on, the cabin was completely darkened (it was a Dreamliner with flexible window shading), and nobody dared to switch on a reading light anymore. Everybody staring at monitors or trying to sleep, mostly in vain, due to the cramped seating position. Arriving in the early afternoon local time, I hate to be put into sleep mode on the plane. P. was hoping (corresponding to internet information about the flight) to get beef for dinner for a change, but, no: it was "chicken or pasta" as usual. Service in general was rather slow and not highly attentive in "cattle class".

Getting to MUC Airport in the morning was a piece of cake today. It took us only about 2:25 hours from our door to the gate by public transport (tram/train/train), all went smooth and quick. Wouldn’t have needed to leave home so early, at 6:10 am, but well, you never know,,, First time we are traveling with only one piece of luggage (our large suitcase), which is a big advantage of (short) summer trips!

In the early 2000s we did research for our first, at that time very comprehensive guidebook about Chicago. Since then we visited several more times to gather information and to get to know the city better. But,,, actually we have been visiting even earlier, in 1990, when we were traveling for a basketball book. We traveled by train from sports city to sports city, and, also stopped in Chicago for three days or so, watching the Bulls and Michael Jordan play!

Touchdown at O'Hare Airport was about 1/2 hour earlier, at 1:20 pm local time. We whirled through immigration and baggage claim and on to the train station. Train took about 45 min. to get into downtown, called the "Loop", and, from there we walked over to our conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Wacker Drive. Unpacked our luggage in a nice guestroom on the 27th floor with a view towards Millenium Park, and, out we were again, unfortunately, in light drizzle at around 70 deg F, humid-warm.

In 2014, IPW, the largest travel trade show in the U.S., with a couple of thousand of participants from all over the world, took place in Chicago for the first time, and, now, in 2025, it’ll be there again. Being invited as part of the German delegation’s media group of around 15-20 people, we are looking forward to meet old friends and new people, hear the „news“, listen to press conferences and hot discussions, feel the mood. 

Chicago is unique. It’s a multi-faceted metropolis, to some degree similar to NYC, but, first of all, the location on the banks of Lake Michigan, which appears like an ocean, is different. Architecture shows much more continuity, starting after the Big Fire in 1871 and going on until today. Chicago is a walkable architectural handbook! In the course of time, Chicago developed from a rather "ugly duckling", a former slaughter house and train / industry town to a „green city“.  Along the lakefront there is a chain of parks, which offer all kinds of activities and cultural programs. There is Magnificent Mile (similar to 5th Ave), many high-class museums and theaters, ethnic neighborhoods, great festivals all year long. And, Chicagoans are „Westerners“, more down-to-earth, more relaxed than the people in NYC. 

 

On "Mag Mile", we had to stop at a Garrett's, the original Garrett's popcorn shop from the 1940s, to get us the "mix", carmel corn and cheese corn mixed. 

Passing Watertower we walked over to the "beach" and ended up in the probably only microbrewery in downtown, Crushed By Giants, and had an IPA each (photo above). 

Called it a long day then, walked back to the hotel, and, in the meantime the sky had cleared up (photo far below).

Chicago River, above, in the evening - hope to get better photos tomorrow!