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--JB

Denver

So here I am in Denver and the youngest woman I have met is about 65. Oh, woe is me.

On the other hand I am resting, eating over-well and reading book after book, broadening my mind and gaining wisdom (Yeah, right!). I arrived here a week ago and since then Have been spoilt rotten by my relatives and despite the fact that it is almost impossible to find a place to smoke here (and that is cigarettes only, no weed) I am keeping up a fairly decent intake of nicotine.

It is very beautiful up here, it is about 1.5 km above sea level and at times difficult for us lowlanders to breathe when doing physical activity. I think it is in the Rocky Mountains, they are all around but I'm not exactly sure of that, you gotta trust me on this.

The day after I arrived I was whisked off by a cousin for a day trip to Royal Gorge which is an old mining area and we went on a train trip through the gorge which is long and narrow and you dont want to have been one of the convicts who had to work on the construction - it is in the center of what is known as the "Prison capital of the world" -- 9 prisons in and around the town and all along the highways there are signs warning you not to stop for hitch-hikers - we didn't.

Since then I have been lounging around in the lap of luxury.

Last Friday I went into the mountains again to join my gay cousin and his "friend" in his cabin in the mountains. 'Cabin' is what he calls it, but I'm not sure that that is the correct term for a 500 sqm luxury home with not one, but two, living rooms, each about as big as my own humble abode and including about 6 bathrooms and a wine cellar. The only thing lacking was a hot tub and that is apparently being ordered. Of course the whole thing is situated right on the lake! Ah, the way these yanks suffer. While there I was taken to climb a 400 meter high mountain, now this might not sound like much but when you start at 3.5 kms above sea level it is no picnic. Well, it wasn't for me, okay? So I'm not as young as I once was. I did eventually make it to the top with much huffing and puffing and many stops and moans and groans but when I finally got there it was worth the suffering. The view was magnificent - almost straight down for 400 meters. Getting down was easier.

I am staying in a suburb of Denver which is hard to imagine - the small houses around here are about 500 sq meters and all on plots of at least an acre (4 dunams). Those are the small ones, some of the houses are as big as the average mall. And noone seems impressed, they are just homes. Mind you, I would not like to live in one, I like my little patio with its walls that hide me from the world and allow me to do as I please when I please and with whoever I please.

I cannot imagine myself having any adventures here so I am just reporting on the American dream fulfilled.

Beware of falling pianos!