Topless women and fruits galore

Boulder, Colorado, August 6, 2011

Boulder was my home for 17 years, and so it's tough for me to think of it as a tourist attraction. There are of course many wonderful things to see: the Flatirons, Chautauqua, the Pearl Street Mall (which was just a run-down street when I was a kid), etc. But there is, in the summer, a delightful attraction that the run-of-the-mill tourist may not know about unless someone tells them, or they simply follow the crowds as they coalesce in the park on Saturday mornings, all summer long.

It's the Farmer's Market, and what a scene!  A huge truck loaded with organic peaches had a line 40 people long at 7:00 in the morning. I stayed the weekend with my friend Deb. Her neighbor bought a crate of peaches, because, as she said, "I stood in line far too long to buy a little bag of them". She gave 6 to Deb, and then Deb gave 2 to me on my way out the door on Sunday. OMG! They were juicy, perfect, fuzzy, and delectable.

The park just south of the Pearl Street Mall, on 13th and Canyon, features a Russian Tea House that is a treat in and of itself, open year round. But up and down that street, closed off on Saturdays, are many tents and booths filled with colorful vegetables and fruits, canned goods, organic and grass-fed meat, potted plants and freshly cut flowers.

And half naked ladies.

You cannot imagine my shock to see a young woman wearing many necklaces, a hat, short cutoff jeans and nothing else. In my adult lifetime, I've forgotten many things, but I've never forgotten to put on a bra. That poor girl has been going braless for some time. Her breasts drooped, aureole brown, nipples pointing at the ground, boobs bobbling along as she walked. If nothing else I should think it would be uncomfortable. I couldn't help but stare. She didn't seem bothered by anyone looking at her. I glanced around, no one else seemed perturbed so I began to think this must be a common occurrence. I wonder when the nudity laws in Boulder changed? Or was it the crowds at the market were so thick no one actually noticed? Or worse, maybe the economy really is so bad people have lost their shirts!!

Next to the Russian Tea house a "food court" had been set up. A large tent at one end housed tables and chairs for the patrons while both sides were lined with vendors grilling up meats, stuffed gorditas, steaming pot stickers, fried wontons, spring rolls, and chimichangas. The smell was delightful. Deb and I had lunch and listened to two different acts play music. Between the music and the crowds, we could barely hear each other. If you are a people watcher, it doesn't get any better than this.

I almost forgot, as we were about to leave, that I wanted to purchase some flavored Balsamic vinegars and coconut milk carmels. It would never have occurred to me to mix dark chocolate and vinegar, but their sampling table won over my heart. I ended up bringing home three bottles: pear, peach and chocolate, plus a package of coffee-coconut carmels that are amazingly NOT coconut flavored (I actually hate the taste of dried coconut) and
quite low in calories for a piece of candy, another plus in my book.

From Deb's house to and from the market, we put in about 4 miles of walking. Boulder is the perfect town for long walks through neighborhoods and around the shopping areas. The temperatures were perfect, the air didn't heat up till around noon. We enjoyed the best of a summer morning, went home to a cool house and sat on her back deck under the umbrella to enjoy her luscious back yard brimming with flowers.