Today we were tired and so we decided to have a quieter day and just explore the historic district of Durango.  It’s a 10 minute walk from our hotel, so we didn’t even get the car out until late afternoon.

There were quite a few things going on in Durango, as there are nearly every weekend.  It’s quite a hub – concerts, sports events, a weekly Farmers’ Market and then also seasonal events.  We walked down each side of the long main street, looking into many of the shops.  There are quite a lot of antique shops as well as the expected t shirt/gift shops, clothes shops, jewellery shops, art shops.  It was an interesting morning.  It’s also a very dog friendly town.  Lots of people out with their cherished pooches.  We sat and had a coffee at one point with a Border Collie on one side and a Pomeranian (uber uber cute) on the other.   I had a chilled coffee called a Nitro – a first for me.  It has nitrogen gas pumped through it to aerate it to a creaminess.  Weird.

The Farmers’ Market was great.  Quite a lot of stalls, 90% food.  The vegetables looked fantastic.  All sorts of variants of things we don’t see in Europe.  Different types of tomato, many types of peppers, squash and pumpkins, melons.. chillis.  Colorado is famous for peaches and they were there.  There was a country/Irish band playing.  The young girl on the violin was fantastic.

We got talking to a cheese maker and tasted his wares.  It is true to say that despite having the most amazing dairylands and potential, American cheese is almost universally disgusting, unless you want it melted on a pizza or something.  99% of all cheese is processed, none of it is anywhere near as good as European cheese because it cannot be young, and there are all sorts of other FDA regulations about it that basically destroy its nature as … well…. cheese.  In most supermarkets, the best cheese you can find – and I kid you not – is Cracker Barrel.  You may see “Gourmet Cheese Shops” in shopping centres.  These will be full of processed cheeses like Monterey Jack, flavoured bizarrely i.e. Monterey Jack with Chocolate or the like.   It is possible to buy genuine cheese but it is always on a small artisan basis and even then is ruled by FDA rules that prevent certain types of cheese being possible.  Anyway, this guy made the best cheese he could and it was delicious.  We bought a wedge for our future lunches.  It will make a change from the yellow plastic we’ve been eating so far.  Sorry to be rude my American readers but you should rise up in revolt at the horror you are being fed in the name of food safety.  Reflect that we in Europe have survived for thousands of years eating cheese not governed by the FDA and actually so did you for quite a long time……

Went back to the hotel for a late lunch and then Bob dropped me at a nail bar.  My nails have taken a horrible battering over the last couple of weeks and needed major work.  Most of the length has sadly gone but they will grow again under the protection of the topcoat that hardens my poor bendy nails.

We went from there to the lovely little cinema in town – only 2 screens.  The usual fab great chairs – as big as the ones in your living room.  Watched “Downton Abbey” which was enjoyable vanilla pudding.  It was quite interesting to be the only Brits in the cinema.  There were moments of laughter, applause and genuine affection throughout.   And at the end, lots of people stood up and applauded.  It was nice.

Came back to our suite and had crab cakes and salmon and watched Strictly with some ice cream (Halo top for me).