Denver High

 Title might suggest a blog for a local school in the Denver, CO area. It is about anything but. A recent work visit took me back to this city located a mile above sea level at the foothills of the Rockies.

Named after a 19th century Governor of the Kansas Territory, James Denver, which included the land mass we know today as Denver. Denver is now a fairly large metro area and state capital of Colorado. Not many American capital cities are as prominent. Atlanta, Santa Fe, Honolulu are some of the other exceptions.

This visit happened as fall was giving way to the onset of winter. Evidence was felt in the mercury barely making it past the high 40s by mid day and a chilling wind would often accompany the deceptive sunshine.

That said, it was a worthwhile adventure. I got to visit with a former colleague from my days in San Francisco. She seemed to have adjusted after moving herself to this weed infused rarified atmosphere from the sea level breezy locale she was accustomed to. We met in the lobby of the second oldest lodging facility called the Brown Palace Hotel celebrating 130 years.

Below are glimpses from that evening and other frivolities with work colleagues that included a stop at the Cigar Lounge called Churchill's in the premises of the Brown Palace.

I fancied and enjoyed an eponymously named 10 year Madeira which is a fortified wine from grapes harvested on a Portuguese island.

Star Spangled display was replaced with the below holiday lights including this massive chandelier before my very eyes.. what a sight!

A chewed nub of a cigar - that my friend seemed to enjoy in the vicinity of like minded smokers. They got to choose their fire stick from a menu of torpedo's and dirigibles and other shapes that appeared to be Hecho en Cuba.

View of the libations and fire sticks aka cigars along with a menu for the rolled tobacco

Denver also was a major commercial hub in the heyday of the 20th century which of course was when they found silver and gold in the local geography.  That precious commodity was then traded and used for bullion and coinage.

The Union Station from that era was also another prominent landmark that eventually fell in disrepair post two world wars and eventually was restored as a hotel and transit hub for local regional authority. A train still runs between DIA (the massive air field outside of town) and downtown.

former department store modeled after Italian architecture

130 year old façade of the Train Terminus

Gold plated dome of the two chambers of the state