Amazingly I lived in Colorado for four years while in college and never once went inside the state capitol. I finally changed that today. Although while taking the tour, I learned that the capitol has been renovated and restored since I was in college, so I was able to see a much nicer looking building than I would have seen back then. The capitol is lovely, and if you are able to visit, take the tour because you can go up into the dome and onto an observation balcony but only on the tour. Similar to capitols, the House of Representatives is decorated in green like the UK House of Commons, while the Senate is decorated in red like the House of Lords. Much of the stone in the building is from quarries in the state, including a gorgeous red onyx. There is a lot of brass that appears to need constant polishing. My favorite feature of the building is Mr. Brown’s Attic, where there are windows to allow you to see much of the superstructure, including vaulted ceiling of the two chambers.
Tag Archives: Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
I arrived in Denver by train and immediately got hit with altitude issues. I don’t get altitude sickness exactly, but I do get winded when I have no time to adjust. Along my way north, I stopped at Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, because it was even higher, I could not do any hiking as I was just getting hit too hard by the altitude. Instead, I spent an enjoyable afternoon driving around and looking from the outlooks. One part of the park that I thought was special was how evident the tree line was. As the road approaches the highest part of the park, there are signs noting that you are entering an alpine environment, which is a sensitive ecosystem. The views are lovely.