Minneapolis Vacation-- Wednesday

We also did a lot on Wednesday. We started at the James Hill House. James Hill is not only the name of one of my uncles, but also the name of the guy that built the railroad we traveled on to get to Minneapolis. His house was built at the turn of the century and is about 30,000 square feet. It was HUGE and filled with beautiful trim, tile, woodwork, etc. There was a kitchen in the basement that had a gas stove and a prep area on the main floor next to the dining room that had hot and cold cabinets where the food was stored until served. The coolest thing was the clothes dryer system. The system contained large wooden slats that hung over steam pipes. As steam ran through the pipes, the heat dried the clothes. Not bad for the 1890's!

The first picture is the front of the house. The bricks are a darker color because of the coal that used to be used to heat the furnace. The second picture is the buffet in the dining room. The third picture is the clothes dryer. The slats slid out so the clothes could be hung above the steam pipes.

After the Hill House, we went to the St. Paul Cathedral across the street. The church was filled with ornate stained glass, beautiful painted ceilings, and elegant statues. Here are a few pictures.

Minneapolis Vacation-- Monday and Tuesday

On Monday morning, we went to the Midtown Global Market. The global market is a collection of shops, delis and restaurants from around the world. My favorites were the Italian deli (fresh cheese, salami, and other meats), the Farm Stand (local cheeses and meats), and the soap shop. I got some rosemary mint soap that tingles nicely.

After the Market, we went to see Shanna at the University. She's a professor there. Here she is in the University of Minnesota mascot hat. Isn't she cute??

We ate lunch at a wonderful Italian deli and ventured off to the Zoo/Conservatory. Sam had never been to the Zoo-- he goes to the conservatory to beat the winter blues and the zoo is closed at that time. Admission to the Zoo/Conservatory is just $1! We saw a baby orangutan. sleeping monkeys with their tails wrapped together, a snow leopard, tigers, lions and giraffes.

Next, we went into the Conservatory. It took my breath away! The plants were beautiful.

Tuesday, I tortured my poor husband by taking him to the Mall of America. We spent about 5 hours just walking on every floor. I didn't go into too many stores. It was a great way to get our exercise for the day!

Minneapolis Vacation--Sunday's Activities

It's been a while! Ty and I just got back from a vacation to Minneapolis. We drove to Havre, MT to catch the train (Amtrak) to Minneapolis. The way there was really nice. We left Havre at 3:30 pm and arrive in Minneapolis the next day at 8:00 am. I was surprised at how comfortable the travel was. The train had a dining car where you could sit down to eat dinner and a snack car if you just wanted a little something. I saw several deer as we passed through Montana and North Dakota-- plus, I finished reading two books.

Once we arrived in Minneapolis on Sunday Morning, Sam (my uncle) took us to the Rennaissance Festival. It was really cool. People dressed in costumes and there were several fun shows to attend-- fire breathers, comedians, and magic shows. Here are a few pics from the fair...

That was it for Monday. We were tired after that long train ride and took a long nap. Here is Tyson with Abbie-- Sam and Shanna's Pit Bull puppy. She's a year old and LOVES to play!