Q: What does St. Paul have that Minneapolis Doesn't?

A: A great city across the river!

Today I woke up planning on taking some pictures... I woke up, drank some coffee, got ready, and headed on down to the great city of Minneapolis.  I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but being the 35W bridge had just re-opened I figured now was as good a time as any.  What a beautiful day it was!

I have this strange thing about me; I love to take pictures but I don't jump at the chance to show them off to people.  I will generally post a few on myspace, but usually take them off within a week or so.  I know... it's stupid, but they are mine and for whatever reason, they are personal to me.  If you ever receive something in a frame that I have taken... feel special - I don't do that for many.

Today I came home with some of the most beautiful pictures I've taken in a long time (hell, I haven't taken any in a long time!)  I want to share my day with you, through pictures and some story.  This may get long, but it will be filled with pictures, so it's all good!

First I get downtown and start my day at a place I mentioned a few blogs ago; Gold Medal Park.  

Here is what I have to offer of the place:

That's the new Guthrie Theater in the background, along with the old Gold Medal Flour plant.

Here is a picture of the Guthrie; I love the way this building looks and the way it makes the city look.

I was hoping to be able to get a picture of the new bridge from this general area, no such luck.  I decided to drive over to the other side of 35W where there is a parking lot I know about.  Here is a picture of the traffic on the bridge, stay turned for a picture of the side of it later in my day :)

Notice the 3 little things sticking up in the center there?  There are 3 on each side of the bridge, at night they are lit up in blue - from what I understand they are there to symbolize the river below.  Pretty stuff at night :)

From this same parking lot I came out with some absolutely beautiful pictures of downtown; here is one:

As I was getting back to my car, Pam called me and asked if I wanted to meet up for lunch.  She was in St. Paul and could be to me in about 15-20 minutes.  So she mentioned this little polish deli (Kramarczuk Deli)  that she'd been wanting to try and we met there (Kristi, you should review this place for your Restaurant Blog - good stuff)

Pam said she was down to join me in my walking and picture taking, so we walked down by the Hennepin Ave. Bridge (I have a thing for bridges as well).  I wanted to get a picture of the Grain Belt sign as well; here are a few from that area:

and one of Pam and I, self portrait of course!

During our walking and talking, Pam mentioned to me that you can go inside the Guthrie Theater and walk out on to the long arm part (as you can see in the picture above) - so we decided to go back over that way and do that.  Pam had done it before, I had not.  A few pictures I took from up there:

The Stone Arch Bridge

This is Gold Medal Park, from up high

This is the new 35W Bridge

This is the craziest picture I have ever taken!  As you are walking out in the Guthrie they have small little windows you can look out, most of them have mirror or some reflective stuff around them - I took this from out one of those windows - it was so trippy!

A spider web out one of the windows

 

a couple of just me (thanks to Pam for being my photographer)

 

Another self portrait :)

Once Pam and I parted ways I stopped one more spot on my way home - this sign is one of my favorite things in Minneapolis (it also happens to be my favorite beer!)

I have a ton more pictures, but this is all you get!  As always, click on any of the pictures to see a larger image.

All in all it was a successful day, lots of good pictures!  I also had my 35mm camera with me, so I'm quite anxious to take those in and see how they turned out (ugh, film!)

I'm off to watch another Star Wars now...  :)