In Search of The Biggest Mall in the | Bloomington, Minnesota

Bloomington, Minnesota: This place was Average; Entering Wisconsin

After a lovely afternoon and evening in Chicago, I set out around noon today for a Minneapolis suburb called Bloomington. There, I have been told, lies the largest mall in the United States. For those of you who have grown up with the King of Prussia Mall like I have, it is hard to believe that there is another shopping complex out there that can rival KOP's gloriousness (is that a word?). However, Mall of America Bloomington claims to be the biggest and I figured I'd venture North to see for myself. It was a short drive through Illinois before I reached the great state of Wisconsin. Not minutes after crossing the border, I was bombarded with billboards advertising every kind of cheese shop you can imagine. Apparently, Wisconsinites have figured out what they're famous for. After driving further into Wisconsin, I found gorgeous rolling hills, the greenest of green pastures, and expansive meadows. Red barns dotted the countryside (sounds so poetic, doesn't it?). I love the contrast of red against the green grass and the blue sky. I kept trying to take pictures of the barns, but found it tough to do while driving. Either way, the whole scene was very peaceful. I drove through Milwaukee and was tempted to veer off into town to see if I could find the Laverne and Shirley factory. Classic. But I didn't, I just kept on truckin' along. I had more Dane Cook to entertain me and I even downloaded two Nancy Drew audiobooks onto my Ipod. I only got to 'The Secret of Lilac Inn' today, but I forgot how awesome those stories are! Nancy and her shenanigans kept me entertained for a good portion of the trip. I decided to stop off at an obnoxiously advertised area of Wisconsin called Wisconsin Dells. Not having any idea what a 'Wisconsin Dell' was, I decided to ask a teenage clerk at a convenience store by the gas station. He snickered in disbelief when I asked him the question, and didn't seem to have much else to offer except to tell me that the Dells were originally just lakes and rock formations, but now there were a bunch of water parks and resorts surrounding them (2 minutes of driving through town was enough for me to figure that out on my own; I was hoping for something more exciting). Anyway, there was a cute little country cheese and sausage shop across the street, so I decided to visit, hoping for a better experience. I got my wish- as soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a bunch of thick midwestern accents and the aroma of cinnamon and firewood (for some reason that's what 'country-ish' places smell like.) The store was adorable and had a wide selection of cheeses, cured meats, sauces, and jams, which were all homemade. I grabbed some authentic Wisconsin cheese wheels and went on my way. After that, it was several more hours before I reached the Minnesota state line. I had a little trouble finding the hotel, but I had no problem finding the mall. It's huge! The hotel is right across the street, behind a few other hotels, and it's definitely the first cheesy hotel of the trip (I knew there would be at least one). The place looks like it hasn't been renovated since the 70's and it has an overwhelming American Indian motif going on (right up your alley, Nicki!). Plus, the woman at the front desk might have told me over 50 times how beautiful I looked despite having driven 6 1/2 hours. Pair that with her ridiculously thick Minnesota accent and I was sufficiently creeped out. I'm currently locked in my Native American room, thinking about what to do for dinner. Definitely not calling the front desk... Either way, I have Internet (thankfully) and a giant mall to explore tomorrow so all in all, things are good. I'll probably check out Minneapolis too. I gotta find that arch everyone's talking about! More to follow tomorrow...goodnight!