One of our favorite things to do, traveling or not, is to check out local markets. Markets are a great way to familiarize yourself with a new place by trying local produce, sampling prepared foods and interacting with locals. Few other activities can connect you to the community the way a legit market can. 

Our new weekly segment, Wander Land, will cover a local haunt from wherever we are at the moment. Right now we are in Minneapolis, MN and the spot is Pig Ate My Pizza. Located a few miles north of Minneapolis in the suburb of Robbinsdale, this pork-centric pizza and craft beer restaurant is easily one of our new favorite restaurants. With an open kitchen and chefs-turned-waiters on the floor, you really get a feel like you are a part of the madness going on all around you. Its a little loud and a bit warm but when the food starts coming to the communal table, all of that is forgotten. 

Under the old Schmidt Brewery buildings along the Mississippi River, polka music and the smell of sauerkraut carry on the breeze.  The sound of hammerschlagen, a game popular in Minnesota where the goal is to drive a nail into a piece of wood with one hammer strike, echoes through the crowd. Dachshund owners proudly wear their “I love Wieners” t-shirts in anticipation of the wiener dog races.  But this is a German heritage festival and that means one thing to me. Beer! Although the choices were fairly limited, I was able to try a couple beers I rather enjoyed.

Like we mentioned in our last post, change can be a scary thing. Making the decision to leave our jobs and spend time traveling far away from family and friends is one that scared us both. It is also a decision we will never regret. This journey has allowed us to experience things we didn’t know existed and accomplish things we didn’t know were possible.