We finally find a cathedral to view, Denver's quite beautiful Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, which is a block away from the state capitol building - our primary destination. The cathedral outside and in looks like it was constructed by those "old world master builders", but in fact dates from 1906.
Norm's sister, Inge, a long time Denver area native offered her experienced guide services for the day. First on the agenda (after the cathedral) was the imposing state capitol building.
Anticipation ran high to see the building interior, where the rotunda restoration underway for 8 years was only completed in October of last year. Being high up in the rotunda was to offer a spectacular 360 degree view (on our visibility unlimited day) of 200 mountain peaks. We asked our guide for our money back when we came upon a sign at the entrance announcing that the whole shebang was closed for Columbus Day. In her defense our guide noted that it used to be open, but officials got tired of all the protesters, Columbus haters all, who showed up every year to denounce the Great Mariner as a genocidal interloper.
Apology accepted, all best buds once more.
This is a Union soldier and is thus permitted to remain on guard duty in perpetuity. The flag flying on high is okay, also. No battle flag and General Lee issues here.
An omnibus memorial to those war dead in all of our wars past and, it is presumed, of all those conflicts currently ongoing and those which may occur in the future. Nothing further need be done.
Columbus Day protestors better watch out next time.
Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado - 25 miles from our Hotel. Even our guide had never visited this place despite the zillions of gallons of brewski produced annually. Columbus Day? No problemo.
Where to go, what to see.
The photo really, really doesn't do the mega-size of this facility justice. It is the largest on-site brewery in the world, flagship of the MillerCoors-InBev empire.
Golden has a lot in common with Davis, California. No smoke, no vapors, no fun.
Norm and Inge listening intently to the self-tour thingamajiggy.
Lots and lots of choices to battle back at those upstart microbreweries.
More thingamajiggy listening. Photo has a weirdly claustrophopic feel.
This is not a dupe photo. Can you spot the difference? Norm appears frozen in place.
So THAT'S where the stuff comes from.
This conveyor was moving lickety-split, more and more cases, never ending, like Mickey's broom sequence in "Fantasia".
Halfway through the tour, a wet-your-whistle taste of brew from a doctor's specimen cup.
There were oh, so many of these kettles, with an entire new section in the process of being added.
Scary wall artifact.
We reach the end of the line - FREE BEER!
With 3 free glasses of beer apiece, things are going swell.
Coors history, from the days when it was a more of a local cult item available only in Colorado.
When we first entered we had to put on these ridiculous hats for this good times photo. One of us had the good sense to abstain. This is usually the type of photo taken after the suds are consumed.
Mileage for the day was 75 miles.
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