Walking in…Minneapolis

The unseasonably good weather I have been enjoying is long gone. When leaving the hotel yesterday, it was minus 7. Toasty. So finally the ski jacket that came with me is being put too good use. The car was frozen too, and Hertz didn’t see fit to give me a scraper.

At the weekend we took a trip to Minneapolis. We got a very favourable rate on a hotel that was about a 5 minute walk to the main street (1st), so we decided to make a weekend of it.

First port of call was the Mall of America, which is huge. So huge that it can accommodate a theme park with 3 roller coasters right in the middle of it, along with a bunch of other rides. We spent a few hours wandering round the shops, but malls are malls at the end of the day! We were going to go to Hooters for lunch, but the queue was too big, so we went to the food court and joined an even bigger queue. But hey, it was a good burger! We took a few rides and then set off to our hotel.

We got a little lost on the way into Minneapolis. It’s a one way system, but didn’t take us too long to figure it out and eventually found the hotel. As it turned out we had passed it about 20 minutes before, but that’s life! Hotel was nice, and only cost us $40 each… We arrived just in time for the free drinks, which was a great way to get started. 2 drinks per person at a time and as many trips to the bar as you want. Reminded me of a few weeks ago when I was in the Dominican Republic…only it was near freezing and not a palm tree or beach to be seen. We spent a good hour on the beers, then had a few cuba libres (that’s dark rum and coke for those who don’t know…) which for once we’re not 90% ice. There were alot of football fans (both home and away) there aswell, in preparation of the big game the next day – the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Green Bay Packers, from Wisconsin.

Our “temporary boss” recommended a Brazilian restaurant (Fogo de Chao) just near our hotel, but when we got there it was a 2 hour wait, so went for a steak, at a place that brewed all it’s own beer called Rock Bottom Brewery – it was great, and very reasonably priced.

From there it was a case of trial and error to find a decent bar or ten and a club. We settled on O’Donovans Irish Pub and then to a club called First Avenue following the recommendation of a bunch of girls outside O’Donovans, who, when they realised I was English, stated that I would drink them all under the table because English people have good drinking skills. I wasn’t going to argue, especially since I’d suffered an earlier defeat at a game in the Mall of America, where you had 3 chances to knock a floating ball off the fan that was keeping it in the air. English pride restored. We had a good few more Cuba Libres, leaving just after 2. Lots of people were around the hotel, so we ordered a pizza and talked to a few locals, before rolling to bed at about 4.

Took a walk around the city on Sunday afternoon. It was cold, but bearable, even with a headache! Very easy to find your way around as it’s not particularly huge. There were a whole lot of people sitting outside camper vans etc, watching the football game in the stadium car park. That’s dedication! I’m sure staying at home would have been a better option…..After that we set off for another outlet store, only this time it was about 5 times bigger than the one we went to a few weeks ago. Spent quite alot but I have alot of stuff. No idea where it’s going to go…i’m going to be a bit warm on the way home I think….

So that was Minneapolis. We have booked into the Hyatt in downtown Chicago (living the high life eh!) for next weekend. We will just have to see how the weather pans out…if it’s naff then there is no point going. Once again though, we got a good rate. Will be just over $100 each for two nights. Not bad at all.

Last night went to a bar for Fabrizios birthday. Quite a multicultural event….Two Italians, two Americans, one Indian, one Swiss, a Colombian and an Englishman. Never seen so many beers available on tap or in bottles in my life; certainly puts Wetherspoons to shame

Tags: USA