My impression was a surprise to me because I expected to find a different and relaxed charm about the southeast area of Denver. But what I saw lacked charm altogether. While it wasn’t aesthetically distasteful, it just lacked appeal. Shopping can be pleasurable to take in visually and with other senses, yet I found very little spice, attitude, and personality.

It reminded me of a PBS special I saw where turtles learned to take oxygen from the underwater depths rather than surface to get oxygen from the air. Even shoppers need more air than can be provided in some retail clusters.

With the price of gas and a desire to make the most of my visits around time, I expect that future visits won’t leave me any more anxious to explore the lack of attractions in any more depth than I just encountered. There are interesting and unique shops to while away time and drain money from the pocketbook, so it isn’t barren of shopping opportunities.

It would be nice to see a sprawling Mall centered around beautiful gardens. The buildings aren’t tall and the area is generally flat visually. I think this area would greatly benefit from more trees, even more container gardens to counteract the bland squareness. I felt a lot of emptiness that needed to be filled. I don’t mean the addition of another building or throngs of people – I mean it’s missing that quiet yet palpable part of life because it is so enclosed in brick and mortar retail. If you like the feel of concrete and pavement to be all pervasive, you might not notice that it’s almost lifeless.

If you want to recapture some sense of life, there is a park that runs east and west along the south side of Hampden, behind the office buildings. It’s almost formal with manicured lawns, but it has several evergreen trees and even berry trees for the birds to enjoy. (I tasted a berry and found it very bitter and it reminded me of chewing aspirin tablets.) I found a basketball court that didn’t appear out-of-place on the edge of this strip of nature. In the short area I explored I didn’t find flower beds or an abundance of wildlife, but nonetheless bikers, joggers, lunchers and a few butterflies all seemed to enjoy the little spot of peace not far from the concrete world of retail.

There are several dining choices and even a small place to enjoy Italian gelato along Hampden Avenue. If you are on foot or taking the bus, expect to be without protection from the elements. The sidewalks along Hampden are totally without shade from trees or buildings close enough to keep snow from drifting. Several bus routes criss-cross through the area, so summer visits are possible if you don’t mind the beating sun. A small cup of gelato when you detour from the hot path is a good way to end – a gentle way of putting it behind you and looking forward to exploring somewhere else.

Don’t forget the FREE admission day at the Denver Botanic Gardens on Monday, September 17 for Colorado residents.

In downtown Denver, the buses are as dependable as you can get for a metropolis of Denver’s size. The bus system is called RTD (Regional Transportation District) and they have route and scheduling information online at the RTD web page. All of the main thoroughfares have one or more buses I can take to get in and out of the downtown area. I often take the 15L into downtown, then I either transfer to the free shuttle that runs the length of the 16th Street Mall or rely on my feet to get me around. Some days, it is a combination of both. It beats checking my watch frequently to make sure I haven’t exceeded the parking meter’s time and ending up with a parking ticket.

Today, I wanted to visit the library, located at 10 W. 14th Ave Parkway downtown. Because it’s the Denver Central Library, it is open 7 days a week. I visit this branch of the Denver Public Library because of convenience. There are other branches closer to my home, but each branch has different hours and days of operation. Every branch also doesn’t have as many books as the main branch downtown. I can place books on hold and pick them up at any branch, but sometimes, I don’t want to wait. Sometimes, I just want to browse a section that has a decent inventory. At this branch, I could spend hours browsing when I have the time.

The Central Library is huge. I have never felt like there were too many people and the staff members are friendly enough as well as very knowledgeable. The person at the information desk was going to lunch, so I made an inquiry at the Reference desk. The directions I got were specific and accurate – important in a multi-story library. I didn’t even have to wait in line to get the information I was seeking. Yeah!

Once I found the books I wanted, check-out is back down on the first floor. If you need help with check-out, it’s located right next to the self check-out and I always see someone there waiting to offer assistance. I was surprised this visit when assistance was offered to me as I approached the self check-out. I didn’t need assistance but I was impressed with the customer service during this visit. Again, no waiting.

When exploring Denver, there are a lot of books written about Colorado’s history. I wanted to mention the Denver Public Library because I think it’s important that people should know that it’s a resource paid for by our tax dollars. It isn’t the only resource, but it should be near the top if your bookstore expenses are high. My husband and I are avid readers and enjoy the variety of books available through the library. During check-out, the system let me know I have previously earned fines due. I had completely forgotten! But don’t worry, you can still check out books if your fines are small.

My visit to the library was completed in about 30 minutes. I planned ahead; checked the bus routes and schedules, checked the library hours; checked for nearby places of interest and took my camera with me. I left home with enough time to take photos before going to the library. I wasn’t sure how many books I would check out but knew they would be too heavy for too much movement around downtown Denver after my library trip.

I buy a monthly bus pass so I can easily get around in Denver without worrying about having the correct spare change each time I take the bus. Guess what? Part of our taxes helps pay for the RTD bus system as well. We pay 1% for RTD out of all sales taxes, short-term car rentals, lodging, food and beverage and alcohol. The Colorado Department of Revenue has more information about the breakdown of taxes. If you want to get more out of some of the things your tax dollars pay for, check out how you can be mobile, save gas money, cut down on pollution by riding the bus.

Many explorers throughout history planned ahead. I take a drink container with a tight-fitting lid on my excursions so I don’t have to find places to stop for food each time I leave home. A simple park bench or bus bench gives me a place to stop and rest and many places have public restrooms. I have a digital camera, a Sony DSC-W7 for now, that helps me remember my excursions and note places or things I want to check out in the near future. Today’s sojourn into downtown didn’t cost anything because I used what I already had available. But I had fun and the memories I was able to capture with photos – priceless.