Almanac Travel: 20 Photos From Two Days in Minneapolis

 

 

Stage four of this trip was to another destination we knew nothing about except for the fact Bob Dylan and Prince came from there. Minneapolis is also the home to a couple of the finest and influential post-punk bands Husker Du and The Replacements.

 

Be that as it may we were clearly going in blind. As it turned out two days was never going to be enough.

 

Minneapolis has a bit of a dark history with its treatment of the native Americans and like Australia with it’s treatment of our First Nations people, reconciliation is still a working progress.

 

The city has a rich history in manufacturing and you can see the remnants of flour mills, iron works and lumbering running alongside the Mississippi.

 

 

The first day was so oppressively hot, over 40 degrees, and humid. The city has extremes and drops to well below freezing in winter.

 

There is the Target Centre in the main shopping precinct which is fully enclosed the length of four or five blocks. Interconnected, it provides locals with the safety against frost bite if they step outside!

 

We ended up in the Target Centre but not before taking in some sights. We checked out the outdoor sculpture park before heat stroke set in and we dived into a public fountain. We were dry again within 20 mins.

 

 

In the evening we watched a baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and The Yankees at Target Field. Another great ‘apple pie’ experience. During the game, a storm that looked like the apocalypse was approaching. It arrived just as the game ended and it was a tropical storm like you would get in Darwin. No wind just droplets the size of pears!

One of the funny things we noticed at the ball game was that the organist was getting a bit loose and experimental. He was clearly either bored or….. perhaps he was Tommy, a Vietnam Veteran given the job by his old platoon commander to keep him out of trouble? This is the exchange I imagined.

 

Tommy (playing) – Da da da da da da

 

Chuck – Cut!..Jesus Tommy that was 2 x da da’s too many

 

Tommy – Why can’t I play something else Chuck? I know the Adam’s Family…what about Phantom of the Opera?

 

Chuck – Just stick to the script Tommy! I got you through Da Nang Province in one piece, didn’t I? Just do as I say ok? Now there’s a change of inning coming. Get the “Hava Nagila” ready.

 

10 mins later and Chuck returns from a bathroom break to a closed door in the organ room.

 

Chuck – Tommy open up please. I’m serious, open up

 

Tommy – I can’t Chuck. I need to be free. I have the music inside me and you don’t understand.

 

Chuck – Now listen Tommy we can talk through this ok? The audience isn’t ready for free expression and improvisation at a baseball game. Now open this door right ……holy shit what’s that??!!

 

Tommy – It’s Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale” Chuck! How good is it!

 

Chuck – It’s the middle of the 6^th inning Tommy! My God man what are you doing?….Oh no…what the f….

 

Tommy – That’s right Chuck. Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me Baby”. See Chuck, I can even cater for the young ‘uns!

 

Chuck – Security

 

Our last day took us to the beautiful Minehaha Falls and The Minneapolis Institute of Art. Both are stunning in their own way. The institute had some Frank Lloyd Wright interiors as well as Jeff Koon’s sculptures, Van Gogh and much more.

 

 

Next destination Chicago by train but not before admiring another cracking train station, this time at the sister city St Paul.

 

 

 

More from Ian Wilson can be read Here.

 

 

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