Catching Up

Catching up… I’ve fallen behind in postings, largely due to time pressures connected to the Eagle Creek fire (in the Columbia Gorge, September 2017), COVID, moving to Willamette View in 2020, and deciding to retire in 2024). I haven’t done many back-packing trips since 2017 but I’ve done a lot of hiking, some river rafting, and several more international trips. President’ Trump’s continuing attack on the institutions, norms, and practices that sustain our democracy have also precipitated considerable distress that requires a constant effort to fight off depression. In spring, several major events occurred. As a result of preparing to enjoy Portland Symphony’s performance of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major, which I hadn’t heard in several years, I went online to listen to a performance of it, discovered Yuja Wang, and became a devoted fan. Our most recent trip was a visit to Denver (during a heat wave, alas) to hear her perform Barber’s Piano Concerto at Boulder’s Chautauqua Center. An earlier trip together took us to San Antonio, where a conversation with a high school music teacher, who was playing his violin on a street corner near our hotel. He assured me that I’m not too old to learn to play an instrument – so I have been studying piano with LaJean’s guidance ever since. July 17-21, 2026. We flew to Denver, rented a car, and drove to a small motel in Boulder where we checked in. After freshening up a bit we drove to Chautauqua Park, where we had to park a half mile from the auditorium. We made it to the auditorium and met our friends Kristella and Matt in time to have a quick drink in the restaurant before entering and taking our seats, just a few rows back, close enough to watch Wang play. I find her facial expressions while she plays particularly fascinating. The performance was as good as we thought it would be and, true to her custom, she rewarded the standing ovation with three encores (something I had never before experienced). For a complete account of the performance see https://seenandheard-international.com/2026/07/yuja-wang-and-the-colorado-music-festival-orchestra-deliver-a-stunning-barber-piano-concerto/. The next day we rose early and drove to Estes Park to get into Rocky Mountain National Park before 9 a.m., when entry begins to be limited to those with advance reservations. After breakfast in a local eatery we joined a half-mile line of cars, but still made it through the gate with time to spare. (Many sincere thanks to the efficient park rangers!) LaJean saw the park several years ago when she was in Denver for a conference but this was my first visit. Unfortunately, the heat (topping out in the mid-80s) combined with the 8-9,000 foot elevation to sap our energy, and we did only a couple of miles of walking, in three different stops. We drove to the 11,000 foot pass hoping to stop at the visitor center but the parking lot was full and entry closed. I enjoyed the scenery but LaJean had her eyes tightly closed most of the time. Much of the road hugs a cliff with a drop as much as a thousand feet, in some places on both sides of the road. We finished the evening with a rather late dinner at the restaurant – excellent food (we had braised buffalo rib) but I’ve never seen a restaurant so poorly organized. The second day we drove south to Red Rocks Amphitheater and Park. LaJean found the sun too intense and hot to walk on the only trail that didn’t hug a cliff face but I enjoyed a 2 mile hike, plus climbing the stairs to the amphitheater, which is truly spectacular. I hope some day I will have a chance to see & hear a performance there. After the park we drove into Denver, left the car at the B&B and took an Uber to Meow Wolf, where we spend 2 ½ hours. It is a fascinating place, with 5 stories, multiple rooms of various sizes organized around a central open area, and art of all sizes and shapes (much of it whimsical) tucked away. I’m sure I missed several of the little hidden rooms. We met Kristella and Matt for dinner at the Longhorn Exchange, which LaJean loves for its focus on game. LaJean and I shared an order of elk, buffalo prime rib, and quail (it was too much – I regretted not just sticking with the prime rib). We ordered before dinner drinks but my gin and tonic was almost pure gin, served in a highball glass, so I requested more tonic, but the main course came before I had drunk much of it – very poor service given the cost of the place! The meat was quite good but both salad and vegetables were ordinary, maybe a bit below ordinary. The server was rushed, slightly rude, and quite annoying. I don’t think I’d go back. To dodge the heat on the third day we visited the Botanical Garden, as marvelous as Meow Wolf, though in very different ways. They have placed contemporary statues and other art throughout the park in ways that the plantings and art reinforce each other. From there we went to the Capitol Mall / Art district and hid out in the art museum, where we focused our attention on (mostly contemporary) aboriginal artworks. We will probably go back to Denver – but not in the summer! The only reason we went this July was to satisfy our desire to see Yuja Wang in person, and that was worth the trip.