Seeing Fargo Again and a Small Planet
I joke with my wife that she has a friend or a former student from the Philippines in just about every country in the world. It isn't really a joke, Filipinos are their own best export and can be found almost everywhere. So, justifiably, when we visited Fargo, a former student and his wife living in Winnipeg drove down to spend the day with us. This provided and excellent opportunity to explore a city that I once knew fairly well. In the 25 plus years since I once lived here, it has become a totally different place.
The downtown, once a gritty den of bars, run down warehouses and office buildings is now the energized sort of place that downtowns become when cities past a certain population threshold. We first visited the Plains Art Museum, which took its current form in the late 1990s. The brick and beam ambiance mixed with art makes it a great place and I'm not sure why I never toured before. The only downside is that most of the galleries were closed and there seemed to be too much empty space in this awesome space.
The neighborhood has had a facelift and now supports a mix of housing types and a vibrant food and restaurant scene that gives hope to this over sprawled prairieopolis.
Next, we travelled across the river to the Hjemkomst Center, which I had never set foot in either. I actually saw the Gokstad ship in Norway, before I saw its working replica. The ship and stave church are fascinating reproductions. I only wish that the interpretation was a little "beefier" and the space was more reflective of the rich history of 150 years of Scandinavians in the region. It could also be an opportunity to educate and inform about both past and recent immigrants as the area receives newcomers from across the globe. There is much more depth to be presented beside these two beautiful artworks.
Next, we moved on to mass in the beautiful interior of St Mary's Cathedral downtown. Catholic churches, unlike most protestant ones take no notice of "church tourists" because of the expectations placed on Catholics to attend church no matter where they are. Step into a Lutheran church and people will be speculating on who you are for months after. I'm of the opinion that attending a Catholic mass in different places one travels to is just another way to get a feel for the community. Our friends from Winnipeg noted that they recently attended mass at the Cathedral in St Paul Minnesota.
We then took them to Rhombus Guys, one of the best local and best anywhere pizza places and Babb's Coffee shop, an aesthetic favorite of mine, closing the day with a full stop.
When you live somewhere, it is often easy to put off seeing local attractions. I think I have gotten to know places I've lived better by visiting them after I have moved away and returned to visit.
Since leaving here in 1994, Fargo has become larger, more diverse and more like a city rather than a town. Fargo is North Dakota's only real city. Visiting here is a bit like thinking I know a place, but find I am just getting to know it for the first time.
The downtown, once a gritty den of bars, run down warehouses and office buildings is now the energized sort of place that downtowns become when cities past a certain population threshold. We first visited the Plains Art Museum, which took its current form in the late 1990s. The brick and beam ambiance mixed with art makes it a great place and I'm not sure why I never toured before. The only downside is that most of the galleries were closed and there seemed to be too much empty space in this awesome space.
The neighborhood has had a facelift and now supports a mix of housing types and a vibrant food and restaurant scene that gives hope to this over sprawled prairieopolis.
Next, we travelled across the river to the Hjemkomst Center, which I had never set foot in either. I actually saw the Gokstad ship in Norway, before I saw its working replica. The ship and stave church are fascinating reproductions. I only wish that the interpretation was a little "beefier" and the space was more reflective of the rich history of 150 years of Scandinavians in the region. It could also be an opportunity to educate and inform about both past and recent immigrants as the area receives newcomers from across the globe. There is much more depth to be presented beside these two beautiful artworks.
Next, we moved on to mass in the beautiful interior of St Mary's Cathedral downtown. Catholic churches, unlike most protestant ones take no notice of "church tourists" because of the expectations placed on Catholics to attend church no matter where they are. Step into a Lutheran church and people will be speculating on who you are for months after. I'm of the opinion that attending a Catholic mass in different places one travels to is just another way to get a feel for the community. Our friends from Winnipeg noted that they recently attended mass at the Cathedral in St Paul Minnesota.
We then took them to Rhombus Guys, one of the best local and best anywhere pizza places and Babb's Coffee shop, an aesthetic favorite of mine, closing the day with a full stop.
When you live somewhere, it is often easy to put off seeing local attractions. I think I have gotten to know places I've lived better by visiting them after I have moved away and returned to visit.
Since leaving here in 1994, Fargo has become larger, more diverse and more like a city rather than a town. Fargo is North Dakota's only real city. Visiting here is a bit like thinking I know a place, but find I am just getting to know it for the first time.
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