No Place Like Boulder

I have been to quite a few cities and towns in my life and have seen some rather interesting things. I would have to say that Boulder, Colorado ranks near the top as one of the most peculiar. If you've ever been to Boulder, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For those who haven't, let me try to describe it.....

Boulder is only about thirty miles northwest of downtown Denver. However, it's a world away when it comes to personality. Don't get me wrong, it seems to be a nice enough town. But it can be a bit of a culture shock for an outsider. The best way to describe Boulder? Just imagine Mayberry on acid!

Pearl Street is one of the town's main attractions. Walking through the outdoor mall, you can easily find a good restaurant or a decent brewpub. You'll also encounter the usual gift and novelty shops as well as a bookstore or two. There seems to be a big interest in poetry here too. But, regardless of all this, it's the people who you pass along the way that make things memorable.

For instance, you might pass a makeshift Appalachian band playing Bob Marley tunes. They'll appear to be as confused as much as you, but somehow it works. Don't be surprised to see a guy with rainbow colored hair giving a kazoo concert with an iguana on his shoulder. Seriously, these things are perfectly normal in Boulder.

On one trip (no pun intended) I ran into a guy who resembled the lead singer from Jethro Tull. He was ranting and raving about the end of the world. It was funny and scary at the same time. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed that he didn't whip out a flute and segue into Locomotive Breath.

Another time, I saw a woman with a beehive hair-do walking a three-legged dog. That was definitely one of those "things that make you go hmmmmm" moments. I kept looking around to see if anyone else found this sight as odd as I did. But everyone went about their business without so much as a second glance.

Boulder is considered one of the nation's most liberal cities and, no surprise, was a favorite destination for hippies back in the day. Not that much has changed through the years. This would all seem to make things a little unpleasant for a conservative minded person like myself. But it really doesn't come across that way.

Last Wednesday, a co-worker (George) and I were wandering down Pearl Street after dinner in search of a good cigar. I Googled "cigars pearl street" and it led us to what we believed to be a cigar shop. Or at the very least a tobacco shop that sold cigars. As we entered the store, we were engulfed by sea of bongs that would have made Tommy Chong blush. Here in Baltimore, the shop owners would have immediately taken both of us for NARC's and given us a hard time. But in Boulder, we just got a casual, glassy-eyed glance. We were told that cigar shop was actually right around the corner.

As George and I were burning our cigars and sipping on Grand Marnier, a couple of college kids came over to our table. They seemed to get a kick out two middle aged conservatives keeping it real in Boulder. It was all fun until one of them asked me if I had ever went to college. I told her that I once spent a whole year in college. She impulsively replied, "Wow! That must have been a long time ago!" Yeah, so much for the ego boost from the youngsters.........

We're all used to the panhandlers who try to bum money. But in Boulder, your more likely to get propositioned for a beer or perhaps some rolling papers. As conservative as I am, I can't help but get a little jealous about the care-free lifestyle of this place. It should come as no surprise that Boulder was recently rated as one of the happiest cities in America. No wonder, everyone's always high!

KW