Monday, 5 September, 2005

labour day in usa

unlike many other countries in the world where May Day is recognised as the International Worker's Day, the people in the united states of america celebrate Labour Day today...

i spent the day at the Minnesota State Fair with daughters of a colleague from the lab (they were there as summer interns)... i was planning to go last Friday to catch the local The Writer's Almanac's Garrison Keillor perform at the Fair but no one seemed able to join me... i heard the film is coming out soon, so i'll have to check it out to see what it is all about!

everyone said i had to go and i had no idea what to expect... my constant queries led me to imagine something like what it is in "Charlotte's Web"... and i guess i wasn't all that wrong!

MNStateFair2005_animals

i did find a few little Wilbur-like piglets and lambs and calves and we also saw some wacky looking chickens... i wish they would have a horse-show today but most of the animals were ready to head home.

there is more fast food there than anything else... and the options are endless... from fluffy candies to foot-long hot dogs, fries... and from porkchops and grilled fish to spaghetti and meatballs on a stick... the latter was, i must proclaim after much deliberation, utterly disgusting! all these junk food... and all the waste they create... it is incredible! there was also an area which resembled a pseudo "Oktoberfest" with the beer-drinkers and stalls selling Bratwurst mit Kraut not far away... fun-rides tower and spin behind the scene and screams filled the air-space above.

MNStateFair2005_breadsNcookies

the fair seems to be a place to display and showcase a mixture of local farming excellence, agricultural and horticultural produce, merchandise and handmade crafts... the latter included many beautiful patch-work quilts, cakes, breads, cookies and herby-oil infusions... quite amazing...

herbsNoil

i guess it isn't anything quite like the Edinburgh Festival which is more cultural and artsy... but it was worth the experience...

downGiantSlide

and the ride down the Giant Slide was a good laugh!

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Monday, 5 September, 2005 at 23:15 hrs
Comments

ooh, so fun!!!!

Posted by: dimsumdolly on Tuesday, 6 September, 2005 at 22:01 hrs

the giant slide sure looks fun!

Posted by: Lynette on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005 at 00:44 hrs

Wow, did you just watch them sliding or did you slide too?!

Posted by: monoceros on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005 at 08:38 hrs

fantastic hor!

Posted by: Gor on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005 at 10:12 hrs

that's me down the slide, monoceros! how embarrassing... sometimes i still think i'm only 3!

Posted by: overacuppa on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005 at 13:34 hrs

Ooh!! I wanna go too!

Posted by: Bunny on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005 at 18:26 hrs

Bunny! i have a phone number now! will email you soon. hope you are well! =C)

wish all of you could have joined in the slidey fun!

Posted by: overacuppa on Thursday, 8 September, 2005 at 11:32 hrs

Ooh, that's funny: for some reason I was just thinking about Garrison Keillor this afternoon - how I'd like to read Lake Wobegon Days again. I'd forgotten that's all Minnesota too.

Nice photos, by the way!

Posted by: nick on Thursday, 8 September, 2005 at 14:07 hrs

oh silly me. I wasn't looking carefully. You look really happy! Good to be 3 every now and then, you know.

Posted by: monoceros on Thursday, 8 September, 2005 at 23:43 hrs

hey nick! nice of you to pop by! how's life in mainland japan?! i've not read any Garrison Keillor, i should find some of his books! glad you like the photos! =C)

monoceros, it's funny but if i try to 'live' in the moment rather than e.g. mope about my nomadic existence... life can be rather fun... happiness is such a momentary thing; as long as the ride down a giant slide! ...yet feeling content is probably a life-long achievement...

Posted by: overacuppa on Friday, 9 September, 2005 at 11:35 hrs

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