THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS
(Friday) A few observations from my time on the streets of downtown Minneapolis: The Skyway system is cool -- miles and miles of connected walkways meandering through the downtown...

Most people prefer the outside Nicollet pedestrian mall at this time of the year. The place is wall-to-wall people during the daytime. Things seem to close up by 7 or 8. Even Target closes by 8 p.m... After that only the trendy restaurants and bars are open.

While there are a few Somalis out there (some dressed in traditional Islamic garb), and a few Asians (especially yesterday for the Farmers' Market), a few African-Americans, and even fewer Hispanics (I actually heard someone speaking Spanish today) -- on a whole this place is really white compared to Turlock, where people of some kind of color seems to make up half the population (especially among the younger people). And I do mean white -- unsunned. And they all look like people I should know -- from the common Northern European gene pool. Some of them are probably my Scandinavian cousins -- 4 or 5 times removed.

The weather is great -- sun shining -- light breeze -- temps in the mid-60's. Very fine.