First things first.  Before I start writing about my adventures in this awesome town I would like to introduce you to some of its famous sights.

First and foremost: Pearl Street Mall – “The mall” is a wonderful four block long pedestrian thoroughfare that is filled with shops, restaurants, coffee shops, beautiful landscaping, fountains and lots of street performers.  It has a rich history and is the hub of downtown. In the summer it is the site of Bands on the Bricks every Wednesday night as well as a bunch of art and culture festivals.

The Flatirons – These rock formations are an iconic symbol of Boulder.  There are technically five Flatirons that run along the west side of the town.  Apparently you can climb these things, although I don’t think I’ll ever attempt that.  Geologists estimate the age of the rocks to be between 290 and 296 million years old and that they were lifted and tilted into their present formation between 35 and 80 million years ago during the Laramide Orogeny.  There are a ton of hiking trails that wind around and up the Flatirons, many originating from Chautauqua Park, which is at their base (and deserving of its own post in the future).

The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse – The teahouse was a gift from one of Boulder’s sister cities, Dushanbe,  Tajikistan.  It is gorgeous inside and out and serves delicious food…it’s a must see for visitors. (It’s also right by my office, so I frequently lunch on their Spicy Indonesian Peanut Noodle dish.)