Chicago Chicago Part II

Reflection was the last thing I thought I would do in Chi-town. But this trip proved to be quite a learning experience professionally and personally. When I visit a place, the first thing I look for are museums and cultural events that will allow me to learn more about my new surroundings. The weather was too dreary for an architecture tour or a trip on the waters of the river. But those photos ops will be there next time. I visited the DuSable Museum, but absolutely no photography was allowed anywhere in the museum. So that inspiration remains in my heart and mind. The National Museum of Mexican History however proved to be small, but a gem. And it was free admission. Quite the find.

The pre-Colombian collection was not so impressive, but it was a good educational foundation for those who don't know anything about Mexican history, which I suppose is the point. And to be fair I recently visited Chichen Itza in the Yucatan and it doesn't seem that anything will ever compare.

One of thes special exhibits however is one that I know very well as a historian of Latin America and Latinas in the US. Rastros Cronicas: Women of Juarez is an exhibit chronicling the crimes against women in the factory town on the border of Mexico and the US. Here I was allowed to take as many photos as I wanted. I was truly inspired by the artists' interpretations. Flash wasn't allowed, but I got some good shots. This is a collage of the photos of that exhibit created in Picasa.