The next day we left Oakley Kansas a little late, around 9 am. We knew we did not have a long drive as both of us wanted to spend atleast one night in Denver, Colorado. The drive was about 4 hrs. We decided to live lavishly and booked a Hilton for our stay.
As we were nearing the city limits we got the first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains way in the distance.
We reached Colorado by 1 PM. By rule no hotel lets you check in before 3 PM in this country. So the first stop on STP's request was a weed store. Weed is legal in Colorado and unlike California outsiders over the age of 21 are allowed to buy retail weed upto 1 ounce. Only registered weed shop are allowed to see these. And the shops atleast the ones that we went to, looked super edgy and cool. It had high end interior decorations, the best security 2017 has to offer, a bouncer at the door and super cool edgy sales people. A far FAR cry from how and where I have heard my friends buy their weed. There are variable options, multiple fusion, vapes, oils, chocolates, cookies, spreads, cake mixes apart from the actual weed leaves. Oh and yeah! Photography was prohibited inside the shops. I wonder if we, in India can do the same with bhang? It was a "heady" experience. Since STP dragged me to a marijuana shop, I dragged him to a NAIL salon and got my nails done. Sadly there was nothing special about that shop.
After our mini adventures, we checked in our hotel, dressed up for the first time in clothes which were not shorts and minion tshirts and headed out for DOWNTOWN !! We took the fast rail and decided to end the trip at the famous Union Train Station. The fast rail was easy, reliable, runs like every 10 minutes and I must say that the Denver Transport has a great sense of humour.
We hanged around the Union Transport Centre which originally was a train station and now houses some of the best local chocolates, milkshakes, food, art and is basically the focal point of downtown. There are complimentary buses that takes you on tours around the mall. Another fun thing to do is to climb the 13th step of the Capitol Hill and get a mile high. (It is exactly one mile above the sea-level.)
There are million other fun things to do around Denver and Denver downtown mostly free. It is however a very expensive city and it looks it. The Denver that I encountered was all high-end apartments and sparkling malls and corporate buildings, a very pretty downtown and some really aggressive homeless people. When we were lounging around Union Station we encountered the local police arrest a few very loud women.
We had dinner at this charming downtown Mongolian BBQ. It was my first time at a Mongolian BBQ. The food was great but the experience truly unique.
As we were nearing the city limits we got the first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains way in the distance.
We reached Colorado by 1 PM. By rule no hotel lets you check in before 3 PM in this country. So the first stop on STP's request was a weed store. Weed is legal in Colorado and unlike California outsiders over the age of 21 are allowed to buy retail weed upto 1 ounce. Only registered weed shop are allowed to see these. And the shops atleast the ones that we went to, looked super edgy and cool. It had high end interior decorations, the best security 2017 has to offer, a bouncer at the door and super cool edgy sales people. A far FAR cry from how and where I have heard my friends buy their weed. There are variable options, multiple fusion, vapes, oils, chocolates, cookies, spreads, cake mixes apart from the actual weed leaves. Oh and yeah! Photography was prohibited inside the shops. I wonder if we, in India can do the same with bhang? It was a "heady" experience. Since STP dragged me to a marijuana shop, I dragged him to a NAIL salon and got my nails done. Sadly there was nothing special about that shop.
After our mini adventures, we checked in our hotel, dressed up for the first time in clothes which were not shorts and minion tshirts and headed out for DOWNTOWN !! We took the fast rail and decided to end the trip at the famous Union Train Station. The fast rail was easy, reliable, runs like every 10 minutes and I must say that the Denver Transport has a great sense of humour.
We hanged around the Union Transport Centre which originally was a train station and now houses some of the best local chocolates, milkshakes, food, art and is basically the focal point of downtown. There are complimentary buses that takes you on tours around the mall. Another fun thing to do is to climb the 13th step of the Capitol Hill and get a mile high. (It is exactly one mile above the sea-level.)
There are million other fun things to do around Denver and Denver downtown mostly free. It is however a very expensive city and it looks it. The Denver that I encountered was all high-end apartments and sparkling malls and corporate buildings, a very pretty downtown and some really aggressive homeless people. When we were lounging around Union Station we encountered the local police arrest a few very loud women.
We had dinner at this charming downtown Mongolian BBQ. It was my first time at a Mongolian BBQ. The food was great but the experience truly unique.
I ended the night with a boozy milkshake from MilkBox Ice Creamery(without realizing its boozy properties). But honestly if there is one thing you do in Denver, Colorado do the boozy milkshake. YUMM !!
No hiking ?
ReplyDeleteNot around Denver. Very little time. We did have plans to go to the Red Rock Ampitheatre but simply could not manage.
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