Larimer Square

In the city of Denver there is a lovely little district titled LoDo which is the trendy way of saying Downtown Denver. Larimer Square is a stop off the free bus that traverses the 16th street mall continuously throughout the course of the day.

A little subsection of Larimer is Writer's Square with adorable cheese shops and The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company. I had the pleasure of experiencing one of their unbelievable candied apples dripping in peanut butter drizzle, Reese's pieces, and a chocolate concoction that is indescribable.

Being Halloween-costumes were also out in full swing. The morning introduced me to two gorillas wearing tie dyed t-shirts. Noon time escorted in a cavalcade of witches and cat ears. By evening ghouls and goblins galore along with some novelty out-fits such as a massacred ballerina, the genie from Aladin, a girl with a flip-flop on her head which I explained away as debri, and a wide array of different takes on the classic Mario Brother's Luigi out-fit.

Why Luigi? Why not Mario? Granted-I've always been a sucker for the underdog when it comes to groups of people. I ardently supported Mike from the Monkees (the one with the green hat.) See, I bet you all didn't even know who he was. So, why not Luigi. Why not.

Out-side the candy company was a large, stuffed, massively adorable homeless zorro bear. I wanted to hug him but I wasn't sure how long he'd been out-side or for that matter if he was carrying the swine.

Long story short, if you ever do Denver-when you're done at Estes Park, Red Rocks, Central City, go to LoDo for some fine dining and socialization and hug the homeless bear: at your own risk.

Art Contest

The Denver Art Museum was the one tourist attraction that I visited while I was in the city of Denver. It was massive and confusing.

Finding the exhibits was the hardest part. It seemed that they were all across some bridge that was clearly out-lined in the map.

However, they did challenge me to an art challenge. And...when I am presented with an art challenge I have to take it.

I was asked to create my interpretation of this painting.

So I took the colored pencils out of the receptacle and I went to work. My head bowed in a serious artistic tone. Pretending at Picasso I struggled toward my ultimate goal.

Above right is the end result. Do you see a likeness? After my day of extreme artistry I stopped and paused to reflect upon my day of drawing and staring and art and slow paced walking.

Staring briefly into the sun I squinted my eyes to the tune of a camera lens and slowly said goodbye to my brief cultural interlude

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An Unexpected Mountain Adventure

Unfortunately, I have gone to Colorado. It was under less then perfect circumstances and I journeyed there during one of the most unlikely snow storms in October Denver weather history. I somehow made it-and made it back in one piece.

In the midst of it all: I have seen the mountains. Majestic and startling in their post storm white sheen, they possess an unlikely aura of perfection.

And somehow in the midst of all of the mountains and the blue sky-it seemed peaceful.

To The Land

I have been to the world, and since I have traveled to THE LAND. Disneyland to be exact. The land of a thousand ears and twice as many theme hats.

The castle is smaller and The Haunted Mansion is in an area that is a slice of life straight out of The Big Easy. Otherwise it felt just like what I had known.

Something else I learned is NEVER express out loud how anything is different from Disney World. You will find that California residents are extremely loyal to the original house of mouse and understandably so.

No matter which coast you're on-I think we can all agree that it is indeed "the happiest place on earth." Or at least "the happiest place on earth when the lines aren't long and the children are smiling and not mid-day cranky and when the weather is nice and over-priced merchandise is handed out for free on main street for a special event."