That's Not My Name

If I could sum up Minneapolis in one word it would be community. We began the day at Mall of America where I got to spend 3 hours catching up with Kate and Patrick!! We rode the rollercoaster, walked around, and even had some conversation about American identity. It was really fun to talk to friends my age, especially two that have traveled quite a bit, and see that the ideas we have been discussing are prevalent in their lives too.

From the mall we headed to the Mill City area and spent most of the hour on the balcony of the Guthrie Theater enjoying the breeze and the view. I was really impressed by the interesting and modern architecture of this theater and according to Heather and Kate; Minneapolis boasts the

second largest theater population next to New York City.

We enjoyed a leisurely dinner in World Market, which is an old Sears’s warehouse that has been turned into a market for all kinds of international food, clothes, and other items. It was fun to get to choose from healthy, cheap, and different cuisines and listen to the live folk acoustic music in center. With a few hours to spare we decided to call Kate for directions to a lake that has free live concerts most nights. We ended up at Harriet Lake, at a beautiful bandstand. Despite the show being canceled at the last minute. Kate, Monkey, and Bella (her dogs) rollerbladed to the lake to join us for class. As we played with the dogs and talked about the past few days, I couldn’t help but notice the people around me. There was a group of 4 year old girls and boys pretending to perform on the stage while their parents sat in the stands, teenage girls leaving the beach in bikinis on their bikes, couples walking, middle aged adults in lawn chairs visiting, and TONS of bladers, bikers, runners, and kayakers. It was a Thursday night at 9 and all these people were collectively being active and enjoying nature. That is the kind of community I want to be involved in. I think the active, community feel mixed with the urban and progressive experience at the theater made Minneapolis very attractive and unique.
I suppose it didn’t hurt to get to see Kate and see her home. Which just affirms what I have been learning about myself on this trip—that as much as I am attracted to the physical beauty and landscape of each location the people that I encounter there make it or break it.