Minneapolis

(This is one view of downtown Minneapolis.)

This is Ryan, and as promised I will share some thoughts on Minneapolis, which I didn't get to see enough of. I could have just rested in the hotel for the night after the tiring drive and games, but I felt I would regret not getting to see some of the city since it's not likely I'll be back there any time soon if ever.

(At right above, people doing some kind of walk-a-thon at the Riverfront; At right below, in the distance is one of Minneapolis many small, but pretty churches.)

I was glad I decided to go out. After walking around, Minneapolis is the type of city I could see living in, if not for the freezing cold in the winter. As most people who know me are aware of, cold and I do not mix.
The first thing that jumped out at us when we got there, particularly after days in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis, was that Minneapolis is an exceptionally clean city. There's no garbage on the ground, no lingering smells like New York or Boston, no graffiti (for the most part) and very few homeless people around. Honestly, the cold would probably preclude it from being a city with a large homeless population.

The city looks like it was built in the last 20 years or so, though it wasn't really. From what little I know it is a growing area which is probably a good thing.

Another thing is that the people there, more so than in most cities, were not only willing to be helpful and cheerful, but eager. The girl at Starbucks, though a little overexcited for my taste at 7:30 a.m., couldn't have been more outgoing or friendly. When walking around several people passing me simply said 'hello', which goes a long way and makes you stop and think why more places are not the same way. Some people don't like that. I find it charming and welcoming.
But mostly I was impressed by the city itself. There seemed to be a lot to do. In walking around I saw not only the baseball stadium and Metrodome, where the Vikings play football games, but also a pretty nice Riverwalk area (where some kind of large walking event for charity or something similar was going on), a performing arts center and signs about several other events. The Red Bull Flugtag event is coming this weekend, which for people who don't know is when crazy contestants try to invent a self-propelled flying machine and launch them (person and all) off some kind of tall structure over water). Too bad we missed that.

(A view of the Mississippi River looking north. St. Paul is on the east side, thus the Twin Cities nickname.)

There were also plenty of signs for concerts, plays, etc.
And the architecture was varied and really quite unique for an American city. The city shows signs of several different cultural influences, from the many Irish pubs downtown to the Norse looking designs of some of the churches and municipal buildings. There are skyscrapers like any city, but they aren't so overpowering that you feel claustrophobic and the sky shines through just fine.

(Some examples of the varied architecture in the city. At left is some kind of municipal building that is in the middle of the skyscrapers downtown. Below is a small church that was only a couple hundred yards from our hotel.)

But by far the most interesting thing about the city, and the part that makes the thought of winters bearable, is the Skyway. This is an intricate set of above-ground enclosed passageways that allow walkers to get around the city without ever setting foot outside, while not feeling like an ant or gopher traveling underground. The tunnels are so extensive you can get just about anywhere downtown with a minimum of outdoor traffic, and even in the summer it can make things faster as you zip over cars and don't have to wait at traffic lights.
Basically, across every street there is a walkway between two buildings. I took a walk through them on my way from our hotel to downtown, and though I didn't know where I was going I figured it out well enough. You walk through the buildings, whether they are offices, apartments, stores or anything else. They all have a passage that can get you to the next block and the next building.
I've never seen anything quite like it on such a large scale. I'm told Montreal has something similar, though I believe that is underground. And I've seen many places with walkways between some buildings, but never through such a large portion of the city. So the Skyway, which I guess shuts down around 10 p.m., was definitely a plus.
I wish we could have gotten a glimpse at the massive Mall of America, but that will have to be for another day. I'm told entire weeks can be spent there. And there's a theme park I believe. Sigh.

(The upper picture is the view of a random street from the Skywalk. The lower picture is a view of the Metrodome from the Skywalk.)