Money with an Altitude
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2/13/2006
I have only spent a short time in Aspen, so I can't comment on what it's like to live there, but here are my impressions. The residential areas in the center of town are the most outstanding I've ever seen. Every home is truly someone's castle and looks like every one of the million dollars the owner put into it. For this altitude, I was amazed at the care taken in the landscaping. Streets have clean sidewalks and friendly people walking by. In the higher elevations surrounding the city, the houses are more spectacular, but what's the point out there other than a spectacular view? Outside the center of town, the grid of streets quickly gives way to random roadways. The skiing facilities and access to them dominate the surrounding areas. The 'suburbs' (for lack of a better word) on the way to I-70 are rather undesirable and the drive can be harrowing. Speaking of harrowing, I entered town from the east on a two-lane road that was a white knuckle drive--not because of the elevation, but because you cannot for a second be distracted, lest you run off the narrow road and into someone's parked car. Like Santa Fe, it is apparent that "the help" don't live in the same city as the homeowners, which is sad. Ideally, any town drowning in wealth should accommodate those that support that wealth. Aspen is truly a haven for the wealthy elite with no room for anyone else. I would venture that one-upsmanship is the daily sport around here, even BEFORE skiing!
Michael | Phoenix, AZ