Thursday, August 30, 2012

ASPEN IS COLOR AND GREAT BEAUTY




 
Aspen/America The Beautiful
View of the Elk Building and Old Glory
from Peach's Corner Cafe, Downtown Aspen
 
Aspen, Colorado, is a beautiful city. Even if you aren't among the rich and famous, you can still enjoy the city's ambiance.
 

There are sculptures and flowers
 

 
And more flowers
 


And more flowers
 


And yet more flowers
 
 
There seems to be a fountain at
every downtown plaza

 
 


Aspen is full of old buildings from the silver mining days, be they brick or wooden Victorian Painted Ladies.









 
Aspen Consignment Shop
I wish I could have browsed in here!
 
 


Aspen is loaded with art galleries. They are so prohibitively expensive that one does not even dare walk inside, but window shopping is allowed. Needless to say, we did not go into Prada, Ralph Lauren, Gucci or Luis Vuitton either!
 

 
 
But hey, even Aspen has a thrift shop. I'm sure I could have found something affordable here. But although though it was right between Peach's Corner Market, where we had cold drinks, and the theatre where we attended a movie, it closed at 3 pm so we were out of luck.
 
 
 

Aspen is of course named for the beautiful quaking aspen trees of the region. I love the sound of the wind moving through the aspens.


 
Close up of aspen trees, showing their white bark.
 

 
Hot air balloons are almost a daily sight over Aspen/Snowmass. This photo is from the 2011 Snowmass Hot Air Balloon Festival. Too bad we were too early for this year's festival Sept. 18-20.
 
 
 
 
For one final touch of color, bikers in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge came through Aspen when we were there.
 





2 comments:

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

What lovely photos - and a wonderful tour of Aspen - thanks for taking me along.

Mary said...

Julie, beautiful images of Aspen. I've only seen it in the snow! Yes, expensive shops.......I'd join you for a trip to the thrift shop though!

Hope life is good dear - I have to be brief as I'm up to my eyebrows in packing again as I leave on Tuesday.

Happy weekend - Mry X