Know how you can tell that you've crossed the border into Wisconsin? Take a deep breath and enjoy the cow-tainted atmosphere. We’re not talking about their notorious methane emissions, but rather the pungent fumes of their doo-doo, It envelops, suffocates, and nauseates. From past experience, we knew what to do- get out the Glade. Perhaps I’m exaggerating here, because really, it’s not so bad, and not that prevalent. Wisconsin is actually a very pleasant place to visit, with its rolling hills, forests, and miles upon miles of farmland. You do see lots of cows, that’s true, but heck, where else would all that lovely cheese come from?
We had some memorable experiences in Wisconsin, which I’ll briefly recount below: We spent our nights in Madison, a very enjoyable place to be
. There was a nice ambiance to the city, and while it is the capital, it didn’t feel fast-paced. Mind you, we were there on a weekend in the summer. Maybe, when their legislature is in session, it’s a different story. On Saturdays, for instance, they have a large farmers’ market which goes for blocks, encircling their gorgeous capitol building. We wandered from stand to stand, sampling the various offerings, and buying ingredients for a later picnic. There was a mind-numbing assortment of cheeses available, from literally dozens of cheese-makers. All the produce was freshly-picked, picture-perfect, and very appealing.
We also visited Monona Terrace, a community/ conference centre designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938, but only built in 1992. With a beautiful design based on the sphere, it is quite striking, and offers a rooftop garden overlooking Lake Monona. Finally, the capitol building, itself, is modeled on the one in Washington and actually somewhat taller. It is a fortress of brilliantly-white marble with an intricate and impressive dome. We went to the very top, where an observation deck gave us a bird’s-eye view of the city radiating outwards. In another vein, we were surprised that we could just walk in, with no security, bag check, etc.
There were a number of other sites we would have visited, but we had bigger fish to fry. One of our main reasons for wanting to go to Wisconsin was its famous State Fair, held near Milwaukee, an hour away
. We spent an exciting day there, a day of non-stop music, noshing, exhibits, farm animal competitions, pig races, carneys, give-aways, beer gardens, and exhaustion! There was just so much to see and do on the expansive fairgrounds, and we were forced to make decisions among the many options available. That was hard. But the easiest decision involved cream puffs. The state fair is known for these decadent treats-- cream puffs as large as a fist, and they are to die for. In fact, if you ate more than one, death could be a real possibility. Perhaps a million calories, but each calorie a delicious one.
Milwaukee held yet another major treat for us. Each weekend in the summer they stage an ethnic fair, which changes from week to week. We happened to be there for Irish Fest, which we read was the largest Irish festival outside of Ireland itself. Again, it is a huge property, similar in size to the CNE grounds. We spent an entire day there, immersed in all things Irish, You had choices from every type of Irish music, available on a half-dozen stages, Irish dancing, plays, cooking demos, readings, and top-flight talent
. In our one day there, we saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gaelic Storm, and the Irish Tenors, all free with admission. There were others of this caliber, but you just can’t see them all. Like the state fair, we went non-stop until our juice ran out.
Between the state fair and the Irish Fest, we were so pumped. If you’ve not been to Milwaukee, it’s highly recommended. People are incredibly friendly, the city is very interesting, positioned on Lake Michigan as it is. It is undergoing a lot of revitalization, and there’s a ton of culture and socializing going on. The latter is no surprise, given the history of beer-making here. The beer consumption we witnessed was truly impressive. I am proud to report that we (mostly) were the essence of temperance.
As you can tell, we really liked Wisconsin. There were places we wanted to get to, but just didn’t have the time, because we were anxious to go to Illinois, and our next major destination, its capital, Springfield.
WISCONSIN— WHY CHEESE TO GO THERE?
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
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