Rapid City is a charmer

We can't get into Rapid City rapidly

enough.

There is an evil storm on our tail here in South Dakota. Tornado warnings being are repeated over and over on the media.

Following us is a dark wall cloud hanging like a deep grey shelf across the sky. The wind is fierce.

But there, flanked by its wonderful Black Hills, is our sanctuary - the Best Western Ramkata.

Room with a view? Well, not the garden view I had requested but, as it happens through receptionist Jane , a much better one - out across the carpark to the famous hills. A view with horizon and a real sense of the place we’re in - and the weather. I love the view and am glad to see the weather from safety. The storm arrives and whips around the landscape. I turn on the TV and listen to all the tornado warnings and the advice to stay indoors and away from windows. We wait until it is calm - and go out exploring.

We are here for a couple of “down” days over which we come to love the hotel more and more. There is a mall within walking distance, for heaven’s sake. Shopping. I get a pedicure - the best I’ve ever had. They use a hot rock massage as part of the treatment. I swoon and get eyes painted on my green toenails.

Rapid City stretches out across a wide plain beneath us. Dry and flat. Familiar in its dusty hues to any South Australian. It does not seem very “city” like since it has no tall building CBD. It does have a mighty silo in the city, though. And trains.

The tallest building in the town is a hotel, the proud old Alex

Johnson Hotel with its quasi pseudo Tudor architectural motif making it all the more incongruous as the tallest building.

Rapid City’s centre is a low-rise grid of broad streets, some lined with handsome older buildings, all starring dead presidents immortalised on every street corner in yet another incredible display of public art supported by local governments. This city, with a salute to Mt Rushmore, calls itself City of Presidents. They are all there in characteristic poses - Truman flourishing the newspaper declaring Dewey’s victory, George HW Bush with his hand on a world globe, James Monroe doffing his hat, John Adams looking just like Paul Giomatti, JFK with John Jnr holding his hand…

It’s a striking and comprehensive statement, expertly wrought. And there are Indian dignitaries commemorated on city corners, too. Interestingly, there are quite a few Indians right there with them on the street. In fact, Rapid City’s population is 25 per cent Sioux Indians and there is a huge retail representation of their art and craft in myriad classy shops and galleries around the city.

Rapid City seems to have some of the nicest people in America.

They are happy people. One gets the feeling that they like their life and they like this place.

They adore their Black Hills and don’t need much prompting to tell you about them - full of

lovely valleys and old mining ventures.

They hope you’re going to the Badlands. We are.

As we arrive in Rapid City’s town square, children are squealing in delight. There’s a wild and crazy public play fountain squirting arches and jets of water with the city’s children in their bathers darting and leaping and splashing beneath. Parents sit at nearby tables under sunshades. All around is a sculpture park and an open area of faux lawn. A happy people’s place indeed. We pause at a coffee shop called Alternative Fuel and order macchiatos and salad for lunch. Spinach and strawberry salad with raspberry vinaigrette for me. We sat in the shade and shared the happiness of Rapid City.

Our hotel is massive with unending corridors stretching on two levels. Navigation is daunting at first. The place is swarming with children and there is a sensational water park with giant water slide laid on for them - and a nice big proper pool for the likes of me. I met a couple of mums in the hotel laundry. They were travelling with packs of children, hence doing ginormous loads of washing. I can’t imagine a road trip with five children but, says the smiling mum, they’re having a great time. She’s an art therapist. Her husband is a Methodist pastor. Aah.

We have bonded with the hotel restaurant in the oddest way.

It was clear from our first meal that Minerva’s is an upmarket eatery, possibly the best restaurant in Rapid City

we moot as we sit listening to the piano player on a Friday night. Bruce is utterly besotted by the classy and comprehensive salad bar. The seafood possibilities on the menu lured me in and, after the salmon dish on risotto cakes with asparagus, I, too, am hooked. Next night I go for scallops. Now everyone who knows me knows that I’m a chilliholic who carries chillies with me or asks for chillies. Here, I’m presented with a parmesan shaker loaded with chilli flakes. I no sooner upend it for a shake than the top flies off and the entire load of chilli swamps my beautiful scallop dinner.

Truly. You could not see a scallop. Just a red mountain. Now I love chilli but I could not come at this.

A wee while later, a fresh plate of scallops comes out. And a fresh chilli shaker. If the first dish started out as excellent, this one is superlative. I call the waitress and comment on this. Well, it turns out the Executive chef, Farzad Farrokhi, took over for the sous chef and cooked this dish personally. And I could taste his finesse. Of course, I had to go back for more. Yep. Next night, there I was again.

Now I’m famous in Rapid City as Madam Chilli. Lucky me. Farzad cooked that delicate and beautiful scallop dish for me all over again. Five stars and then some.