While exploring Iowa City was exciting in a drunken stupor kind of way that only a college town can provide, I wanted to continue my travels the problem was after Iowa my plans ran out. This was that wing it point where I figured I’d stumble upon or just ride out and find my way along somewhere. I found myself going back and forth from Denver to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul but unsure where I wanted my journey to extend. If I headed out west the trip would have to be well calculated so that I made it back home by the end of June and while Minnesota was north I could circle back around and just make this a mid-west motorcycle trip and make it home in time to work a local festival putting some money back in my wallet.

Well, I ended up doing what any self respecting budget traveler would do, I went where there was a free couch to crash on. No, not Couch Surfer but through an organization I joined while in college. It was kind of weird at first strangers yet friends all in the same, linked through an organization and connected by a mutual friend. The funny part is that within the first hour I felt like I was hanging out with close friends I haven’t seen in a while, even though this was my first time in Minneapolis.

I was excited to learn more about this town, and while my travels favored Minneapolis over St. Paul the overall experience was a memorable one. At first my stay was only going to be a night, I didn’t want to overstay my welcome but ended up staying a few just out of the continual fun and overall great experience there, plus the threat of tornadoes pushing through Nebraska had me a wee bit worried. I honestly can say that after three days I contemplated my continued living in a smaller city and entertained the thought of venturing off to enjoy the perks of a bigger city. The Twin cities seemed to have all the perks of a big city with a limited amount of the problems, a balance that rested along the mighty Mississippi river that separated these two cities.

Have you ever watched some place on TV and think to yourself, I want to go there? Well I went there, I got to visit Matt’s Bar, home of the Jucy Lucy that’s been featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network various times for their perfection of this liquefied cheese oozing burger. I’ve made these at home and let me tell you, they don’t taste this good when you make it. The best part of this place is the “kitchen” it’s just a small grill at the end of the bar completely open and exposed barely enough room for the dreadlocks hippie guy serving up some delicious bites. This however wouldn’t be my only experience at some delicious dining, I also was able to visit Fogo De Chão a Brazilian churascaria or rodizio as I came to know them in Brazil. If you don’t know what this is, it is a steak house that gives you a card, when the green side faces up the waiters come by with various cuts of delicious steak, rib, chicken, etc. and slice off a piece on your plate and won’t stop serving you until you flip your card over. To top it off they give you a buffet and a few appetizers on your table, including grilled bananas!

I went out a few times to various bars and clubs and while I never had to pay a cover to get in to the places I visited they certainly got their money out of you. I paid $4.50 for a Budlight, yeah that’s a big difference from the $.75 I was paying in Jasper Indiana. During the day you can sober off and save your wallet any damage at lake Hiawatha Park which offers beautiful sights, beaches and plenty of things to keep you entertained.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Wait, isn’t the Mall of America there?” and yes you would be correct but I never made it there. It’s not like I intentionally avoided it, but at the same time I wasn’t too excited to spend my time at a big mall. The only thing that got me sort of excited was the metro ride that I would have had to take from downtown to get there.

The whole trip wasn’t 100% fun in the sun though, my new found friend ‘Frio’ is not a beer drinker so after many shots of vodka after a few days the mornings were a little blurry, but that’s the downside of my job as a traveling drunken monkey, hehe. The other was that while driving around with my Egyptian friend we were pulled over by the police, the reason because he had one of those scented pine tree car fresheners hanging from his rear view mirror which is illegal in Minneapolis. Call it profiling or whatever but that was a minor speed bump while he was giving me a tour of the downtown. I wanted to fling poo at the officer to show him my kind of freshener but I didn’t want to get arrested on charges of assault under flinging on an officer hehe.

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Tags | fogo de chao, jucy lucy, lake Hiawatha Park, Mall of America, Matt's Bar, minneapolis, minnesota, MN, Monkey, motorcycle, St. Paul, Travel