THINGS TO DO IN DENVER !!!!!

The impression that we get about another country is largely determined by how that country or the media of that country presents itself. For the stranger to a country, that may be the only way in which we can make any connection at all. In this respect perception is all and what therefore are we to think of a country that often presents itself, through its widely exported film industry, in an unfavourable light? So, if you have seen the movie "Things to do in Denver when you're Dead", though it's a great movie it concentrates on street characters and having seen the film, you may not be expecting one of the better civic experiences when you vist Denver.

However, I had the great good fortune to spend a few days in Denver prior to seeing the movie and I am glad about that because I can only assume that the film was shot in its entirety somewhere else. In fact Denver, the mile high city, is uniquely situated under the shadow of the Rockies and at least for this traveller is one of the most civilised and complete urban centres that I have come across in my visits to the States, and I include San Francisco and San Diego in that comparison.

From being a gold mining town in the mid 1800s,Denver subsequently became a trading centre with the town planned in the late fifties. Denver itself was named after James Denver, the then governor of Kansas and the first permanent building was a saloon (no surprise there). Denver is now Colorado's largest city and centre of commerce. The city itself is noted for its architecture from Victorian to urban downtown high-rise. The Civic Centre was landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead Jnr. and the City and County Building (illustrated below) was actually completed in 1932 and uniquely was designed by a committee of thirty-five local architects (but still a fine building). The nearby Denver Art Museum was constructed in 1971 and was designed by Gio Ponti working in conjunction with a local architect, James Sudler.

Denver also features prominently in Jack Kerouac's picaresque book, "On the Road". The book tells of Dean Moriarty's (Neal Cassady) visit to Denver. "Cassady's universal poor-boy boyhood occurred in downtown Denver within a four-mile circle. Cassady's boyhood could have occurred anywhere, I think, but it happens that Denver produced him.".(Neal's Denver). See also Big Sur.

Denver has a flourishing artistic community supported by many theatres, art galleries and museums. One of the most popular downtown eateries, is the "Denver Hard Rock Cafe". Queueing is the norm at lunchtime, but the rock memorabilia, the decor and the American menu makes it worth while.