While I was in Denver this week, I had a beautiful night for a walk with my camera along 16th Street. The street is closed to traffic except for the free buses that run every few minutes and the bicycle cabs that are also available for a fee. The street is the center of activity in downtown Denver with buskers and panhandlers hanging out among the tourists. The street is lined with restaurants and stores and the occasional shop selling recreational herbs. I passed on the herbs, but ended up at the Mellow Mushroom for a pizza after my walk.

At the upper end of 16th Street, I came across the Paramount Theatre, an old Art Deco styled theatre built in 1930 and restored to its former glory. I didn’t get to go inside, but I understand the interior is like something right out of The Great Gatsby. I got a couple of shots outside of the marquee and the Paramount Cafe on the corner next to the theatre. The Monkees were playing a concert at the Paramount that night. I didn’t know any of the members were still alive.

The Daniels and Fisher clock tower halfway down 16th is lit up with blue lights at the top and is used as a wedding and event space. It was built as part of a department store that has long been demolished. On the side of the tower you can see where the old department store was previously attached.

Earlier in the day I narrowly avoided a stampede of these really skinny bison down 16th Street.

Near the bottom of 16th Street is Union Station, a grand old rail station where you can catch the light rail train to the airport. I found it to be just as fast as a cab or Uber and only cost $9 dollars.

16th Street ends at the Millennium Bridge, a cool looking cable suspended pedestrian bridge that crosses over the railroad tracks connecting the end of the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall with Commons Park and the South Platte River walking and biking trail.

The cables and mast of the bridge offer a lot of opportunities for photographers. It is a frequent subject for me on every trip to Denver.

My walk ends at The Commons Park bridge that crosses over onto the neighborhood on the other side of the river. Denver has some very interesting pedestrian bridges to make the city very friendly to bikers and walkers.

And here is one final shot looking back from Commons Park back to the city skyline at the bottom of 16th Street.

This is my entry in @timsaid’s #mypictureday photography contest. All pictures were taken by me on my Sony A7ii camera and my iPhone X.

#thealliance