Hi my loves! As you know, I went on vacation to Denver, Colorado almost two weeks ago. Hardly seems possible that much time has passed, I am still processing all that I learned and saw. Denver has implanted itself deeply in my heart. Denver is a city engaging in an important experiment, one that I would like to see succeed. Upon my return, I got lots of questions about whether I smoked weed (of course, I did), but that's not really the point. I wanted to be a part of history, part of a cultural movement if you will. I'm too young to have been a hippy, but now I'm getting a chance. I've always wanted to go to Amsterdam, but now I don't have to. This is why travel is so important - my perspective on absolutely everything has changed. And it's all good. I'm feeling no pain and I'm not worrying about a thing.
First impression of Denver. Really cool, modern and clean airport.
I love this pic! Sorta looks like ghosts are boarding a ship. Amazing when you consider I took this pic from a FAST moving cab and I was ready to barf cuz of the crazy way dude was driving. You know, the U.S. is putting us on, people be traveling. Like a motherfucker. The travel industry - as well as all the ancillary industries serving it - could solve the economic woes of our country. But, that's the topic of another post.
At first, I was disappointed with our cheap little room on E. Colfax. But I fell in love with that room. Fabulous bed, black out curtains, great water pressure. I got some great sleep and showers! Best of all, it was in the middle of everything. We never even turned the TV on, who needs it when so much culture is outside your door? ('Course I don't watch TV anyway, as you know.) I had just gotten my Android phone, and now I can't imagine traveling without it. Just a week before leaving for Denver, I didn't even know how to answer the bitch! Now I was taking video and using GPS....I know you get it.
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We made no plans for this trip, decided to let the cosmos take us where it would. I always regretted that I never traveled through Europe with a back pack. Now I was making up for that. And it was the best vacation ever!!! We took it slow, saw a lot, rested and met a ton of great peeps.
Our hotel was on E. Colfax, east of downtown. And we were in the heart of everything! I had no idea when I booked the trip that Colfax is the longest continuous business district in the U.S. It extends a total of 26.5 miles - yep you can run a marathon on one street if you are so inclined. And talk about diversity, forget about it! We spoke with countless intellectuals, we saw every culture of people imaginable. Rastafarians, Cheyannes, Mexicans, goth biker wannabees, homosexual males going at it (I resisted the urge to tell them to get a room), tons of lesbians, transient, homeless, good old boys looking for opportunity, young men looking for opportunity, artists and musicians of every stripe..... Just what America should be! As a lover of diversity, I couldn't wait to get out and mingle. I hit the street with several cameras and totally felt the love, a camera is a great ice breaker! I was consistently greeted with love, curiosity for what I had to say, and the level of tolerance is absolute heaven. I realized I am wasting time living in a city that is so intolerant. Intolerance is a thing of the past, and I no longer want to be complicitous in the insidious damage it does to humanity and the economy. I told you, everything has changed. And c'mon folks, it's no surprise. It's not 1950. It's 2014.
No one acted as if I were weird, which is so refreshing. I'm not weird or crazy, I've just been living among the wrong people. Everyone acted as ambassadors, telling us to move there. People listened to what I had to say and didn't tune me out. They were interested in me as a person, and I was interested in them. I got lots of great convos, hugs, love and laughs. And learned so much. I am probably repeating myself, but that's why travel is so important for human development. It really raises the consciousness. And I say better late than never.
Stay tuned for further installments of my Denver series. Of course, I took a million pictures, so if you'd like to see less words, and more photos, please see my urban photojournal or my instagram.
All images by Peggy.
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