November 10, 2009

• Minnahhsooodahh

  Yes, I am going there. I’m going to poke a little fun at my own accent. My sister makes fun of me all the time because of how I talk. I don’t always sound like the people on Fargo, but I have my moments, especially when I say “Minnesota.”
  
  I don’t say “ya you betcha” or “dontcha know.” My grandma does, though. The accent that everyone thinks about when they think about Minnesota (thanks in part to movies such as Fargo) is actually more Northern Minnesotan than where I’m from, which is surrounding the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, for those of you who don’t know).
  
  Actually, the truth is, I love my state. I’m proud of us. We have our assholes, but we are generally known as “Minnesota nice.” I honestly don’t think I could ever live anywhere else. Well, maybe, but that remains to be seen. Here are some of the awesome things about the state I live in.
  
  Something that has to do with the upcoming winter season: the ice castle in St. Paul. Every once in awhile, the city funds the building of a huge ice castle downtown. They haven’t done it in a few years, probably due to lack of budget, but it’s really quite amazing and beautiful. It’s built to be ready for the winter carnival. They put different lights within the ice and it looks gorgeous at night. I’m not sure if building one is in the budget this year…I doubt it.
  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  The next thing I love about my state is Mall of America, or MOA. Most people here say it like it’s a word: MO-ahh. The mall opened in 1992, and is currently looking at expanding. None of the expansion is currently in the works, they are just proposals at this point (I believe). They want to expand because they are now in rivalry with other malls to be the largest in the US. Here are some interesting facts: there are over 520 stores in the mall; there is 4.3 miles of total store front footage; over 350 events are held at the mall every year; over 170,000 legos have been lost in the play area in LEGO Land; MOA generates nearly $2 billion a year in revenue for the state. I personaly love this mall, and I wish I could go there more often and had more money to spend there!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Valleyfair. I didn’t get to go this year, and I love this amusement park. It opened in 1976, and has continued its expansion to this very day. Approximately every other year, a new major ride is added. For the really hot days, you can chill in Soak City (I hate that new name…it used to just be called the waterpark!), which is included in admission. There’s a new feature in the waterpark: for some sort of amount of money, you can rent a tent that has a TV hooked up to satellite and other anemities! The park covers over 90 acres!! You can definitely get in your excercise if you walk around a few times! I would recommend going on a weekday in the summer, because on the weekends you have to wait way too long to get on a ride.
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  The season that just passed is my favorite in Minnesota: fall colors!!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  My favorite place to visit is Up North. By the way, if someone says they’re going Up North for the weekend, you know that means pretty much anything north of the Twin Cities. If you go north on interstate 35 on a Friday, you’re asking for a bit of traffic trouble. The same when you go south on a Sunday. A lot of people have cabins in various areas in the northern part of the state. My favorite place is Duluth up to Grand Marais. It’s beautiful. The next series of photos were taken by Yours Truly
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Of course, it’s the birthplace of the Mississippi River.
  
  

  
  

  
  And last, but not least, it’s the home of the Minnesota Vikings!!
  
  

  
  
  

  • 12:28 pm
  • 51 Comments