Sunday, 22 June 2014
On the 7:30 flight to Denver, arrived about 11. My boss was on the same plane; we shared the ride into the city, checked in at the Embassy Suites. Pretty nice room, expensive, but all of the hotels here are expensive.
I would like to get one of these baseball caps with a burnoose shroud that protects cheeks and neck, so I asked my smartphone if there was a nearby REI. Yes, it was a mile or so north-ish on 15th street. An excuse (if I needed one) to go out for a walk.
Not a bad city. Fair number of people out, restaurants, pubs, some worthwhile architecture.
REI is just north of the S Platte river at Confluence park, where Denver started out, some number of years ago.
Pretty classy park, lots of people (and dogs) enjoying the day, enjoying the water.
Shortly there will be some new art overlooking the scene.
REI occupies this old warehouse, three stories, mostly open space. In comparison to the REI stores I have visited before, it’s enormous. Pleasant young woman steered me toward the triathlon department, where such caps would be, if they had any in stock. She thought they might be out of stock, and they were indeed.
The REI building shares part of its space with a Starbucks, busy with all kinds of folks, but especially cyclists. There is a riverside bikeway that goes on much further than I cared to explore. There is a big amusement park here, enormous swing, waterslide, at least three rollers coaster and who knows what else. The riverfront used to be industrial dump, broken pavement, discarded railroad ties, abandoned vehicles, and such, with warehouses on the streets. Now it’s mostly parkland, and the warehouses have become upscale loft apartments.
Back in the city, I walked along 16th street, a mall whose vehicle traffic is restricted to bicycles and shuttle buses.
Bicycles of all kinds.
One block had several chessboards set up, a couple of which were in use.
Pedicab entrepeneurs.
Each of four or five blocks had a piano, most of which were in use. The talent ranged from minimal to not bad.
But I eventually drifted to the end of 16th and around to what its posters proclaim to be a Pride festival. I had been noticing various forms of weird costume and make-up, and here’s where it all centered. I have no idea how to estimate the size of crowds, but I would be greatly surprised if there were fewer than 10 000 people here. Loud, crowded, but mellow. The smell of smoke was definitely not that of tobacco.
Back to the hotel just as a few sprinks started. Got on the web and ordered a couple of burnoose sun hats for store pick-up at the end of the week.
Dave's Blog 
June 25, 2014 at 6:53 am |
I haven’t been in Denver in a long, long time (I was born there, and last visited about a decade ago) but the architecture and that park bring back memories. Thanks for posting these photos!
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