Denver, Breckinridge

Colorado is one of my favorite states. I like mountains. I have been lucky enough to visit Denver several times and once had a conference in the ski resort town of Breckinridge, albeit in the summer season. It was still wonderful.

My memories of Breckinridge are of taking a ski lift up to the top of the mountain - great view. I stayed in a privately-owned condo at the resort. This was the first time that I had known that this is a common practice in resorts and I was a bit stunned by the decor of the condo I got, including the massage chair, the huge bedroom, and the fully stocked kitchen. It had two full baths - which seemed excessive for one person. And two balconies.

My other memory of Breckinridge was finding an extraordinary sushi restaurant and having the sushi chef, surprise to find a somewhat knowledgable Caucasian at his sushi bar, try me out with a seaweed salad that I absolutely loved. Unfortunately, I never found it served anywhere else.

Several conferences in Denver have made me reasonably familiar with the downtown area - Larimer Square. One visit involved a dinner and wine with some colleagues, an after-dinner visit to a Russian tea room for samplings of flavored vodka, and then a beer in the hotel bar on the way to turning in. I don't think I have had that much alcohol in one session since, but it was memorable.

I also found a downtown mall where I discovered a beverage that I believe was called a Polar Bear - coffee, chocolate and milk on ice, with whipped cream and garnish of finely-ground chocolate-covered coffee beans. It was quite good.

Every time I visited Denver, I would buy and bring back a different kachina doll. I tried always to buy a new one by the same artist so they matched in size and style. The photo I'm attaching here isn't one of mine but is a typical sample of a Navajo kachina. Mine are tourist versions - not unique or valuable, but they are fun to have. After I had collected about six of them, I decided I really had enough. I am not a serious collector of stuff, and by that time a trip to Colorado wasn't all that exciting.

The final thing I will mention about Denver, though, is that I really like their airport. I have been in a lot of them but the open feeling of the main terminal in Denver is unique and I really enjoy it every time I am there.