Minneapolis Day 1: City Tour, MIA and Indian Food

Jeanne and I went down to Starbucks to check out the breakfast options.  We had not had time to go grocery shopping yet.   We bought coffee and took a picture of the food possibilities.  Later, once we got everyone's order, Kris and I went down to pick up the breakfast orders.  After breakfast, Jeanne and I headed off to the Trader Joe's to do the grocery shopping, mostly breakfast food.  What we have been doing is pooling some money into one envelope to handle all the grocery type purchases.  Jeanne has been in charge of the envelope.  This has worked great.

We all headed out at 9 am to walk to where we were meeting the city tour. It was scheduled to start at 9:30 am.  The bus was a little late in arriving.

We met at the Marriott.

There are 11 miles of walkways connecting buildings in the downtown area.  It is called the Skyway.  People use it year round.  The two buildings which are connected by the skyway are responsible for maintenance.

What a fabulous tour.  Doug was the guide and Darlene was the driver.  Doug  was very animated and interesting.  We drove all over Minneapolis and St Paul. It was hard to take pictures.

There are so many lakes and parks, which are all connected.  They have bike trails and walking trails and you better not get confused and walk on the bike trail.  You might get a ticket or run over.

We went by the Mall of America to pick up a few more people.  It is a huge mall.

Every place was starting to get set up for the Pride Weekend.  Festivities started Friday evening and will go though the parade on Sunday.

This reminded me of Canada with the green roofs.

Lock #1 on the Mississippi

Hiawatha and Minnehaha

Our guide, Doug.

Minnehaha Falls is full this year, because of all the rain.  This is the tallest urban waterfall in the USA.  Minnehaha means 'water that bends' in Ojibway.

Jeanne, me, Kris and Sharon in front of the falls.

We went to the Guthrie Theater

Paintings on the walls and ceilings, looked like ghosts of past performers.

Long ago there was quite a flour milling competition between Gold Medal and Pillsbury.

Stone Arch Bridge

Mary Tyler Moore sculpture

We got back to the starting point a little after 1 pm.  Time for lunch.  We walked down the street a few blocks to The Local for lunch.  Our guide had recommended it.

I had a yummy half Reuben and tomato soup.

Cool Irish pub

A lot of street seating.  Looks like Paris.

We walked down to the Visitor's Center to get maps.  

Fun with reflections

Quite the chess board.

Then we called the Lyft to pick us up to take us to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA).

This is the old entrance to the MIA. The website had a self-guided tour of the "5 Must Sees" of the art museum.

1. The Splendor of Greece and Rome: The Doryphoros

Fountain Court a balconied hall featuring a wish-worthy Italian fountain from the 1500s.

2.  Full Immersion in Historic China: an example of a traditional well-to-do household 

Japanese tearoom off to the right.

3. 360-Degree Look at African Masks and Sculpture: The Yoruba shrine head with its tranquil, lined visage. (African)

Interesting, lobster-shaped coffin.

4. Be Swept Up in the Golden Age of Dutch Paintings: The Suicide of Lucretia by Rembrandt.  One of his last works.

Not a Must See, but I liked it.  Looked like it was quilted.

5. The Best of the Impressionists: 

Maximillien Luce.  There was a flyer next to this painting about the April 17, 2019 fire.

Piazza San Marcos, Venice by Pierre Augusta Renoir

Olive Trees by Vincent Van Gogh

After seeing the 5 Must-Sees we wandered.  It is a very nice art museum.

Nice view of the city.

Painting  of the same view.

We met Paul (my high school classmate) and his wife, Janet, in the Frank Lloyd Wright room.  I got to talking and forgot to take any pictures of the Frank Lloyd Wright pieces.  We firmed up our dinner plans.  We wandered more and then Jeanne, Kris and I had a glass of wine at the MIA cafe.  We got there just in time for the Happy Hour price.  

We went out the front entrance to arrange a Lyft ride to the restaurant.  He was waiting for us at the wrong entrance.  Oh well.  We did get connected.

Moped stuck between 2 buildings?  There must be a story there.

Cool mural.

We met Paul and Janet at Darbar's, Indian grill restaurant for dinner.

Yummy

Me with Paul and Janet.

We took the Lyft home.  We started laundry right away and relaxed while we waited for the laundry to be done.