downtown denver

I've always thought that I didn't really like big cities. I didn't like being around a ton of people and having a bajillion humans all living on top of each other without a shred of nature in sight. I think this mostly comes from my dislike of a certain west coast state that has way too many electoral college votes and an over-saturation of overly-paid people who put their handprints in cement. oops. did that opinion come off too strong? But since I visited Seattle and Portland about a year and half ago, I realized I needed to reevaluate this aversion to cities I thought that I had.

Denver reaffirmed this.

After flying out of Vegas all by myself, I might add. It was about time I grew up, you know? Especially since I'll be flying to Europe by myself later this year...but...we don't have to think about that yet I was picked up by my loving family and was immediately beat up on and teased about my voice which resembled batman by Caroline. These antics lasted the entire vacation, which is normal. And made for some pretty funny jokes and references. So...I guess it's ok.

We made our way downtown via the directional genius of our smart phones and the family minivan. We circled a park a few times, trying to decide if it was an ok spot to pull out the cooler and have a family picnic. After having to describe what a "joint" was to Caroline, we chose to eat on the other side of the park, where only one drunk/high man went running by yelling about how the trees were in pain and we shouldn't hurt them. amen brother.

Across the street from where we were eating was the art museum. During my architecture class I spent a good amount of time learning of the different design styles and definitely saw a slide or two of this building. Seeing it in person was awesome. And frustrating. No matter where I stood, I could not get the shot I wanted. Fortunately my dad is super supportive and persistent (more than I am on occasion) and walked from one point of the lawn to another, climbed on walls and knelt for 6 minutes, trying to find a good angle and waiting for people to pass so I could awkwardly stand in front of the sign and point to it in case people didn't realize where I actually was.

just look at all of those seemingly chaotic angles and planes. 

the geometrical accomplishment is just so. cool. 

and who doesn't love a larger than life dust pan?

The inside of this place was like that creepy show about the sister who doesn't want to babysit her baby brother so she lets a goblin or something take him and then she has to go rescue him and the baby is crawling on the ceiling and walls and your 7 year old mind is just totally blown because you don't understand it at all. Oh, and David Bowie is in it. labyrinth. it really exists. i'm not crazy.

Anyway, there were points while walking through the museum where I legitimately had vertigo. To refrain from becoming sick I only looked over the balcony once or twice ok, like, i looked a bunch of times for a long period of time. it was just SO COOL. There's no way to explain or show this experience. So I'll just put some pictures up of our antics around the museum.

an attempt at trying to show what the inside of this place was like.

 the only way to describe this room is Boohbah meets Alice in Wonderland.

but i liked this place A LOT more than either of those things.

 and then there were Hieronymus Bosch inspired puppets. 

and anything Bosch inspired is bound to be spectacular.

or just plain weird.

try to imagine the fun we had with that.

just try.

it was almost as much fun as my dad had leaping over this fountain.

well done father. 

and then we found a giant cow.

so obviously Caroline did a few chin ups on it.

 and...so did i.

*cough*

After this the minivan made it's way through the rather narrow roads toward 16th Street, the pedestrian mall in which we got gelato and were offered free pot by a street performer. I tried to convince my mom that her little pony, Captain, would fit right in with the massive Clydesdale horses pulling the huge carriages up and down the street. We concluded that conversation with the realization that Captain can't cross cracks in the pavement. whoa. say that 5 times fast. Ah, but we love that little pony.

mom's face and where's waldo, kirk edition. 

Well there you go. My only complaint about Denver was that we didn't get an omelette, which is apparently what they're really well known for? I don't know. My dad said so. So I believe him.

Case and point: cities are pretty cool.

And so are the Rockies. Hold tight. They're coming up.

peace and deconstructivism design

rrw