Feeling Minnesota

I am back from a week in Minneapolis and what a week it was!  I was there to attend a training seminar for our Model Workplace program at work.  What it turned into was one day of Model Workplace, and four days of “How to Facilitate Workgroups”.  What I learned was that which I have always known…I have a phobia about speaking in front of groups.  Strangers anyway.  God bless ‘em, they tried to get me through it, and I didn’t faint or pee my pants or anything.  But I was definitely miles and miles from my comfort zone. 

That’s not to say that the trip was all bad.  Our hotel not only had an indoor water park, but we were only blocks away from the Mall of America.  If you’ve ever heard of the the Mall of America, you don’t even have to ask what is so great or unique about this mall.  It is the largest mall in the world.  Period.  Four stories high, 77 football fields big, and over 3 miles of walkways.  Not to mention the Nickelodeon theme park located indoors and in the center of it all.  It has 3 roller coasters (yes 3!), a ferris wheel, a log ride, and countless other rides for kids and adults alike.  I spent 3 afternoons there and I don’t even like malls.  I visited this one store I’d never heard of before called Nordstrom’s.  After viewing a selection of their very fine merchandise (they had some beautiful neckties), I soon realized that Nordstrom’s was Swedish, meaning ”Rich People”.  Didn’t get anything there.  Having walked and walked…my daughter was the big winner from this little adventure as Dad found lots of stuff to bring home to her.  She provided quite the wish list and I actually found most of the stuff on it.  Did I mention that I’m pretty much broke now?  Despite having 3 days to explore, I dare say I saw it all…not even close really. 

The one day that we didn’t go to the Mall of America, we hopped onto the mass transit system and headed to downtown Minneapolis featuring the historic warehouse district.  There we spent some time at the Hard Rock Cafe…and then more shopping.  I did get a cap from the Hard Rock and they had some pretty cool displays including memorabilia from Prince and Jimi Hendrix.  Such a tourist….I know.

All in all, I was pretty impressed with Minneapolis.  And this is pretty hard to say for a hard core southern boy!  I didn’t get to explore as much as I would have liked, but they tell me that the area lakes and parks are beautiful.  That so would have beat one of those mall days!  I was there during a great time of year also.  It was still cool (cold to me), but snow was nowhere to be found.  The locals invited us back to experience the winter months with them.  I asked if it was really as bad as I had heard?  They explained that the wind chill hit 70 below on many occasions this past winter.  Not to mention the snow.  I told them I would get back to them on that little invitation…