Travel

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  Tony Randgaard traveled to Cuba twice recently under the relaxed U.S. travel restrictions. The New York Times and CNN report that President Trump is poised to narrow the Obama loopholes that have enabled thousands of Americans to visit the lost-in-time island since fall of last year. Take in his latest adventure and Minnesota travel tips—before it’s too late.

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I got off the bus in downtown Havana wearing a Gustavus Tennis tee, high hopes and a Cheshire cat smile, cultivated by two months of meticulous planning. I stepped into a frothing stew of pedestrians, vintage Fifties Ford and Chevy taxis, three wheel bicycle cabs and street peddlers. Not to worry, I had...

Not a bad deal — Key West-Havana for only $100 one way? The brochure beckoning you to “Travel The Comfortable Way.” And then Vic Chenea, the airline representative, crowing about the wide wicker seats, sweeping glass windows and even free bags -- before plying you with rum on the airline’s tab. Who wouldn’t jump on that type of personal service? You’re in and a convenient return time from Havana at 3:55 p.m. to boot. What could go wrong? Well it started with the rain and low visibility out of Havana. And then wondering by 5:00 p.m. -- isn’t the flight supposed to be one hour? By 5:15 p.m. the pilot and mechanic are using binoculars to look for Florida and then asking if you can help find the Sand Key Lighthouse...

The time has come to start working those summer plans into our schedules! It's hard to believe now, but green grass and budding trees are just around the corner. An excellent weekend vacation option, for those of us in the Twin Cities, can be found in the southeast corner of our fair state: Historic Forestville. While the usual favorite summer sites are found several hours north of the cities, Forestville can be found two hours south. With trout streams rather than lakes and nearby wineries outnumbering the breweries, it's a whole different kind of Minnesota! My favorite...

Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the Lebron and Steph Curry of mountaineering -- yet all they could do was wait. They were holed up in a small tent on the South Col of Mount Everest while the ‘varsity’ team of two climbers was aggressively attacking the last 2,000 vertical feet above them. Their colleagues would become the first climbers to summit Everest, the world’s highest and most unreachable peak. In contrast to other climbers, Hillary and Tenzing were imposing physical specimens. Hillary was 6 foot 5 inches of lean, sinewy muscle and abounding energy. Norgay was larger than other Sherpas and his elite acclimatization to altitude...

Summer has finally come to Minnesota. The sun burns late in the day and green has crawled out of the darkness to cover the trees again. Parks are filled with eager children. Beaches are occupied by van-loads of families. The swooshing noises of the boats buzzing past each other on the lakes are accompanied by the gleeful barking of the family dog.

Summer means a lot of different things to many people but for the people of Minnesota it is truly a special time. For maybe just a couple or few months out of the year Minnesotans are delivered from the icy darkness of winter into the joyous...

I used to think the idea of Ireland being completely and richly green was probably a stereotype, but that didn’t last for long. That idea was dashed before my plane even landed. As I gazed out the window, as soon as the clouds dispersed the first thing I saw was emerald as far as the eye can see. It took my breath away from that very moment and I didn’t get it back until I left the country.

During my week spent in Ireland, I devoted most of my time to exploring the city of Cork where I was staying. In the Cork city centre, there are numerous attractions that should...

For most of my life I have had this desire to live anywhere besides Minnesota. No offense to Minnesota or anything, but I have this feeling that I wasn’t meant to live in the Midwest my whole life. I told friends and family about this dream for as long as I can remember; so I think the decision to actually do it at the age of 26 was a soft blow to them. For the past three years I have resided in the great city of Minneapolis. It felt like home. But, that strange feeling of wanderlust was still in the back of my mind. So, after many months of talk, I quit my nine to five job, notified the landlord of the beautiful apartment I lived in (very sad about leaving this apartment behind), my boyfriend and I...

When I took my first step outside the Grand Central Station onto the streets of Amsterdam I felt immediately engulfed by the city’s unique atmosphere. The bustling squares and many narrow alley-like streets were intimidating at first because the layout is so different from what I’m used to in a typical American city. But there is little in Amsterdam that resembles a typical American city. The most striking difference to me was the prevalence of marijuana. “Coffee shops”-- which in Amsterdam are shops that sell the drug -- litter the city; I think I saw at least one on every block! While I was strolling down the sidewalk on a busy street I walked past a girl who I believed...