Only in the city

I know I complain a lot about having to walk part of the way to work, but on the nice days, it really is a treat.

Not only can I admire the tall buildings, I get overloaded with people watching.

I see cars whipping by, people on cell phones at the wheel, not really seeing that I, the pedestrian, am there.

I see parents walking with their children, hands wrapped tightly together.

I see businessmen, businesswomen, citizens appearing for business at the Denver City and County Building, I see people enjoying a sunny winter day at Civic Center Park.

Nearby, a woman with her little girl in pajamas with skid-proof soles and a parka sit on the grass, eating bite-size foods out of a small plastic bag. Cheerios?

Cyclists. Panhandlers. Wanderers. Lawyers. Policemen. Students. Everyone is there.

And I even get to enjoy the views late at night on my drive home. Sometimes I drive by the Denver Coliseum on my way to I-70, sometimes straight past Coors Field. That's the route I chose last night when I spied this mural on the side of Snooze restaurant.

Yep, only in the city can you find oompa loompas, Augustus Gloop and Charlie himself.