Bloomington

This is the Grand Lodge. Looks normal enough.


Nice lobby.


Connected to the Grand Lodge...


Water Park of America. 70,000 square feet, covered. They claim to be the largest water park in the US. Perhaps the largest covered water park.


A sprawling, kid-filled tepid pool of filth.


A couple of the rides are 10 stories high. How they pull that one off when the tower is 5 stories high, who knows.








A hallway from the water park led to...


A door. Inside...


While no Mandalay Bay, the LCDs are a nice touch. Not that you'd want to anyway, but the volumes and channels on the TVs cannot be adjusted. Three TVs, each on a different channel, and each one, it seems, competing with the next to be heard. But they are fair and balanced - FOXNEWS on one, CNN on the other, and ESPN in the middle. But FOXNEWS was on the left and CNN was on the right! Idealogically mind-blowing!


If you are so inclined, the handicapped stall was ENORMOUS! Toss in a cot and you're set.


The faucets are old-school. Turn them on, they're on until you turn them off. Adjust the water like you want. I came back here after the contest just because of that. And the scented Puffs.



Another IKEA!


Contest was in the Rotunda of the Mall of America.



In the middle of the Mall of America - a covered 7 acre amusement park. I wonder which came first - the covered amusement park or the covered water park.








Afterwards some people who had won some copies of Eat This Book asked Ryan to sign their books. Showing his good sense of humor, Ryan signed my Horsemen of the Esophagus. Thanks, Ryan!


Chip aftwards speaking to a radio reporter.


Here's me getting a look at my prize.


A stand in the amusement park was selling these. I wish I had, but I did not investigate further.


At the airport. Notice the rain. And the luggage carts. To the left of this are some guys putting luggage on the plane. Oops, they forgot the bag in the center of the picture. I stood at the window for 10 minutes while the rain kept falling and the bag kept soaking up the wet.


Here's the chomp after 6 hours or so. Not much change. I'll keep everyone informed.

Later!