The cities: Any town/city south of Mille Lacs Lake
The cities really has everything. People from “up north” go to the cities to do a vast array of things! We can go to the doctor there and receive all sorts of treatments. Many people go the school in the cities if they aren’t all that into community colleges or Duluth (which is pretty much our only other options). There are tons of choices of schools in the cities: University of Minnesota, Hamline University, Gustavus Adolphus College, Mankato State, and Winona State University to just name a few. The cities are also great for eating out. Sometimes it’s nice to go out to eat at a restaurant that uses spices in their cooking, as long as it’s nothing too crazy. Airports. The cities is the travel Mecca for the state with nearly all vacations starting with at least a four-hour pilgrimage to “the cities” to catch a flight. We can’t forget shopping. The cities has nearly any kind of good you may want to buy; so many people make the extra trip once or twice a year to go update their wardrobe. If you really think it through, you just add on a little shopping time before or after your flight or doctor’s appointment, then stop by some fancy restaurant like Chipotle to finish things off with a burrito. Or if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can eat some sort of ethnic food. There is more than one Chinese joint down there so you don’t have to go far to try something thrilling.
by some fancy restaurant like Chipotle to finish things off with a burrito. Or if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can eat some sort of ethnic food. There is more than one Chinese joint down there so you don’t have to go far to try something thrilling.
It’s a big deal to make a trek down to the southern part of the state and the same can be said about making the trek north. This time of year can make it especially difficult or at least more treacherous. Even in nice summer conditions the adventure can often be an ordeal that we talk about far before and long after. “Yep, I’m headed down to the cities because I have to do such and such.” “I was just down in the cities two weeks ago and guess what I saw. . .” “Talk about crazy driving. I just got back from the cities” “Now, which part of the cities is that place?”
That’s one reason I was unsure about where I could fit into this magazine; I’m not in the cities. I’m a good distance removed from all that is happening down in the cities. But when I got to really thinking about what I could bring to the table, I realized that we all have common interests.