If you had told me that this self-proclaimed "green girl" would be heading to the Mall of America (of all places) during my family vacation, I wouldn't have believed it if you paid me. But that was one of the first places we stopped this past week while visiting my sister-in-law and her family in Minnesota. Sure, my green credibility took a hit, but when you've got two teenage girls in your group (my very cool nieces), shopping is usually on the agenda!
What do you do at the biggest mall in the country when you're not a shopper? My children (who are not teenagers) and my husband (definitely not a shopper) hit the amusement park in the mall. That's right, people: There's an amusement park in the middle of the Mall of America. (There's also an aquarium and a movie theater.)
Although I'm not a mall maven, I can see how having everything under one roof is a smart idea if you live in a state where they actually cancel school for "cold days" (not just "snow days"), when it's unsafe to venture outdoors without chipping your face. We didn't have the cold weather excuse (it was hotter in Minnesota than it was back east), but as long as I've got a camera with me (in other words: always), I'm good to go.
That's my running theme: Every place you go is an opportunity to take amazing pictures.
We also visited the Minnesota Zoo. We arrived on the later side of the day, and within an hour of closing-time on a hot afternoon, we felt like we had the zoo all to ourselves. Without the crowds, the animals looked downright relaxed and relieved. (Understandable. I wouldn't exactly love it if hundreds of people were gawking at my every move either.)
Often, I think there's something vaguely sad about zoos. Wild animals in very "un-wild" conditions. But I will give the Minnesota Zoo a whole boatload of credit for spreading the conservation message. We saw a number of animals nursing their babies, so they're definitely on the right track.
Since Minnesota is "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" (apparently, the state motto is an understatement), we spent most of our days in the Great Outdoors, appreciating the tranquility provided by some of those lakes.
We hiked through Great River Bluffs State Park, where we could see a pretty view of the Mississippi River from on-high (pictured below).
So, while we might have started off in the urban jungle, by the end of the vacation, my green cred was climbing back up again.
How 'bout you? Have you ever been to Minnesota? I'd love to hear!
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P.S. My next online photography course starts this Monday, July 6, 2015. It's already a wonderful group of students from around the world--join us and sharpen your photography skills! More details and registration here: How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You
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