On Friday DH and I drove to Duluth to see the Tall Ships festival, August 18-21. Crowds were enormous and traffic was heavy. For us, the festival has become too popular: too many people and long lines. It took about 1-2 hours in line to board one of the ships.(We passed) I was hugely disappointed that I did not see the ships with their sails unfurled on the lake as I had in the past. While we were there the ships were docked, and although it was an interesting experience, it was not as I had anticipated. To see their beauty, go here to an earlier post this week. Not all was lost because we drove to the main area, snagged a parking spot in front of the Green Mill restaurant, had a cool beer and a great Cobb salad for me, enormous BLT for Jim and plenty of attention for Wild Wendy on the patio.
Sorry things didn't work out as you had hoped. I hate crowds and refuse to go anywhere where I'll run into them. Sometimes that doesn't work, though, so like you, I look for a place to rest my weary body and find a bit of nourishment.
ReplyDeleteVery nice those tall ships.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been fun.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had an enjoyable day anyway. Long lines and crowds are probably normal for this type of event.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to see! I have noticed that the crowds have become bigger everywhere. We used to take day trips up to the Grand Canyon where we would eat lunch at the El Tovar. In the last few years it has become so crowded that you have to wait in a miles long line just to get into the park and forget about getting a table at the El Tovar. It's just not as much fun anymore.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why they didn't have the sails up? I too don't like crowds, and prefer to visit sights when they are quieter.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how crowded some events are getting. It's great to see people out enjoying themselves but dealing with huge crowds is not very enjoyable for me either. I wonder if that's an 'age' thing.
ReplyDeleteI avoid the crowds too so often miss the big events going on here!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about crowds, but sometimes you just can't avoid them. I would love to see these ships.
ReplyDeleteSeeing these tall ships is such a treat. Too bad the crowds were so thick. That takes some of the fun away.
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting to see these ships with their sails full of wind. But just looking at all the ropes and how they're handled can be an amazing experience, too. So sorry the crowds were so big...and $400 for a hotel room? Piracy!
ReplyDeleteoh i'm sorry it was so crowded...i don't like big crowds either...but it sounds like you made the best of things!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that would get crowded.
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying the tall ships via friends' photos, but we won't head into quite such a crowded event. Still, you got to park close to Green Mill, so that was a win!
ReplyDelete