Since we were only able to stay over for one night in Beaver Creek during Labor Day Weekend, we decided to make another overnight jaunt to Colorado Springs the following Saturday. We stayed at a place called the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, which I am planning to review next week. For now I wish to discuss a side excursion we made that Sunday before coming home to a cool little hippy town a few miles west of Colorado Springs. It’s name is Manitou Springs.
My wife and I have only lived in Colorado for four years but my understanding from the locals is that Manitou Springs is what Boulder used to be before it became overran by yuppies. That is to say a laid-back town at the foot of the Rockies with quaint little shops and cafes. A stew of various lifestyles co-habitating the same locale harmoniously without trying to impose their worldview onto others. My wife and I happily consumed all that we could see and hear in those few blocks of downtown Manitou Springs’ shopping and dining district. We felt so reinvigorated by its tranquil and pleasant surroundings.
We were surprised by how much Manitou Springs reminded us of our former life in New Mexico. Some of the structures featured adobe-style facades and many shops specialized in selling Native American arts and crafts. It was like we had been teleported instantaneously to Gallup or Taos. Then in another instance, my wife would be taken back to her childhood in Sao Paulo, by the presence of little alleyways with other 
speciality shops. Manitou Springs even provided entertainment in the form of an old school midway, complete with 
games like skeet ball and video games drudged up from the depths of who knows where. Finally, the downtown area showcased a park with a children’s jungle gym and a little stage for performances while hugging the path of a beautiful little stream cutting its way through the town center.
I highly recommend an excursion to Manitou Springs if one is visiting Colorado Springs or even Denver for that matter. It is a perfect place to soak in some rays besides a lovely stream and accompanying flora. The shops and cafes are unique and inviting while the people remain laid-back and chill. If you like visiting hippy-esque communities during your travel escapades, consider dropping by Manitou Springs the next time you are in the area. You won’t be disappointed.
Innvestigators 
