It’s obvious Gary has seen better days. One of the best (or worst) examples of urban blight in America, this once beautiful but tough city is, sadly, better known for its high crime rate than its past. Both of my parents were born and grew up in Gary, and both moved out in the late 1970s. Every time we drive through together, it evokes wonderful memories along with sadness to see what their hometown has become.
What can I say about Las Vegas that hasn’t already been said? With its rise from small desert outpost to mafia gambling center to the entertainment capital of the world, this city of bright lights and nonstop action wows everyone that sets foot on the iconic Strip. It can bring you to life or eat you alive, but no matter your tastes, it’ll leave you wanting more.
Iconic Soldier Field isn’t just the home of the Chicago Bears, it’s the largest memorial to soldiers in the United States. It’s located at Museum Campus on the Near South Side.
One of the fun things about Monguí are the handmade footballs that the town is famous for producing. A good place to learn about this industry is at the Football Museum (Museo del Balón). It’s located on the town plaza of this Heritage Town (Pueblo Patrimonio) and admission is free.
Bergamo is one of the most beautiful cities in northern Italy. It consists of an old walled Upper Town (Città Alta) and a more modern Lower Town (Città Bassa). The Venetian defensive walls around Upper Town are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Before we traveled to Milan, I noticed that Inter were playing Lazio at the iconic Stadio San Siro. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend the game. I went straight to the official Inter website and bought two tickets making sure we would have good seats.
Madrid is the capital of Spain. With its excellent historic sites, beautiful architecture, and delicious food, it makes for a great few days of exploration. It’s also a good base for day trips to a few other cities. I’ve visited Madrid four times and passed through on an overnight layover another time, and always look forward to going back to see more.
While visiting Marisol’s sister in Cali, we had an opportunity to attend a football game between Deportivo Cali and Envigado in what would be my very first game in Colombia.
My unexpected extended stay in Chicago allowed me the chance to see two games of the Copa América Centenario in 2016. The games were played at Soldier Field
Museum Campus is a park on the Near South Side of Chicago that contains three of the city’s best museums, Soldier Field, and the largest convention center in North America, McCormick Place.