Pueblo

First off, a shout-out to Jane!  Nice to know somebody is enjoying the blog.  Thank you for the comments.

We started our Thursday morning packing up our wet, sandy tent.  Then off to fuel up with gas for the car and Starbucks for us.  We have nearly used up all the Starbucks gift cards.  Much appreciated!  Then to downtown Pueblo's River Walk.

It is quite lovely.  Lots of sculptures, mostly of children and animals.  It is a very nice walk and all but one person we passed said good morning back to us (as opposed to two out of six responses in Durango). Friendly town!

We thought this sculpture child looked terrified.

Even the sidewalk is artsy.

This fountain on the stairs nearly got us.  Didn't know it was a fountain until it spouted!

There are a couple of man-made waterfalls.  There are also swan and dragon paddle boats to rent, but they were closed and Cassie said she wouldn't do it with me anyway because "that's a couple-y thing."

Then we found the Sacred Heart Cathedral.  Unlike Alaska, church doors are locked.  We walked around the outside and found the priest, dressed in coveralls, working in the rose garden behind the cathedral.  He was happy to visit with us and unlocked a door so we could see the inside of the church.  Beautiful!

Interesting side note:  the priest recommended Durango, not Pueblo, as a great place to live.  Said he was there for 10 years.

We went back for noon mass.  Very nice. This is one of the many stained glass windows in the Cathedral.

While we were waiting for our tour of the Rosemount Mansion (rosemount.org), we were standing on the porch by this curved window and I had to take a picture because I think I look SKINNY! Somebody agree with me...  

Anybody?

Photos are not allowed inside the mansion.  It was built in the 1890s and about 80% of the furnishings are original.  It is quite beautiful. Ornate.  Our docent, Jeannie, was a hoot.  She and I made plans to relocate some of the lovely furnishings (shhhhh!  Jeannie really loves that table).  There was a large group of school children touring the place at the same time and we thought it would be easy to sneak out a side door with a small table without being noticed. 

After mass we headed north toward Denver.  Traffic is frightening.  I could not live in a city this big.  On the plus side, they have an Ikea.  Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce.  Aaaaah.  And also a lot of steps on the fitbits.  Win- win.  

Planning to visit a nature and science museum tomorrow in Denver, and whatever else we find interesting, then maybe we'll go east and south.