Photos: two views of The Cliff House and some interesting items in a store window down the street.
I’m in Manitou Springs, just outside Colorado Springs, at a lovely hotel called The Cliff House. It’s a historic building that’s been beautifully refurbished, and yes, it has heated toilet seats. Kay D. tells me that the heat is much appreciated in November, as she’s been here in that chilly month.
I took some time yesterday afternoon to walk in the downtown area–I needed some chocolate, and there’s a wonderful chocolate and ice cream shop on the main drag. Anyway, I don’t have my camera with me, but I did bring my phone, which took these shots of the area.
I’ve heard from several sources that Manitou Springs is home to many “aging hippies,” which undoubtedly accounts for some of the local color. But it’s a fun place to visit, and this hotel is heavenly!
~~Angie
At the Cliff House?? Wow! Enjoy it for me. Isn’t there a big safe in one of the hallways?
Love the pics – well, the window shopping not so much! LOL Sounds like a wonderful place!
I missed going to the writers workshop in Glen Eyrie this year. So I missed seeing you. Now I wish I would have gone to Manitou Springs to walk around yesterday like I planned. Perhaps I would have bumped into you.
Did you sample any of the mineral water from the different springs downtown?
This traveler has a good overview of the locations.
http://www.stevegarufi.com/mineralsprings.htm
Yes, there is a HUGE safe in one of the hallways–I’ve passed it a dozen times and wondered what it contained. And no, I didn’t find the place to taste the mineral waters, but I did a good job of tasting the chocolate. :-). Sorry, Michele, that I didn’t bump into you!
There is no one place in Manitou to taste the mineral waters. The springs are all over town. I think most taste like Alka Seltzer, but some are better than others. I know of one spring people like to stop by and get jugs of the water from and make a great pitcher of lemonade. The closest one to the Cliff House is across the street, past the post office, and across from Soda Springs Park. BTW Manitou not only has hippie throw-backs. It also has a large Wicca coven, many New Agers and tree-huggers, and at least 7 people who have petioned the city council to sell marijauna as outlined in the new Colorado medical marijauna law. Even in this darkness God has His beacons of light; Summit House ministries, Timberline Baptist Church, and many devout Christians.
I find Manitou a bit oppressive, but I love it.
A friend of mine called it Mountain Goat Town. 🙂
The mineral water springs look like fancy drinking fountains. Or the ones I’ve seen anyway.
There’s also a strange commune in Manitou. Some Christianity mixed with weird theology from what I can tell. There was a sandwich shop that they ran and they had their literature all over.
Have you gone up Pikes Peak? Next time you’re in the area you should plan to take the Cog Railway up. It’s very interesting. The summit will probably make you sick– it did me– but it’s worth it.
I think there are only two Cog trains in the country. The technology came from the Alps and it’s been running for 100 years or something like that.
I was wrong about some of my Cog info. Here’s a link if anyone is interested. http://www.cograilway.com/history.htm