CHICAGO: Visitors to Chicago - the unofficial capital of the Midwest - can savor a graceful lakefront, gritty ethnic enclaves and rich cuisine.

The city of 3 million, which has another 4 million in its far-flung suburbs, is a region of rich farmland, heavy industry and a history of architectural innovation.

Residents of the city tend to be plain spoken, which might hark back to the city's role as the rabble-rousing birthplace for workers' rights.