Visit to the 16th Street Mall - Essay Example

The 16th Street Mall is located in Denver, Colorado and I was attracted to visiting it due to the positive and sometimes controversial reviews from friends and various blogs. One of the most mentioned aspects of 16th Street Mall is the ability to “people watch”, which was evident from the diversity on the street. In half an hour, I had seen a man with a squirrel perched on his shoulder, another with massive face tattoos, and been accosted by a man who wanted to know the direction to the Yankees Stadium, seriously convinced he was in New York. I decided to take a walk down to Starbucks and went past several businessmen, most of them white and a few Asian. Most of them looked in their mid-30s, and they were most likely looking, for a restaurant, to dine in. I also noticed another group made up mostly of white Americans who were in The Mall for pleasure, including shoppers and tourists. In addition, it was also possible to make out some groups of people, in this case, more diverse with white, Hispanic and some black people, who looked like conventioneers. Out on the streets, they all looked relaxed while some also looked to be people watching, as well.

It was not possible to miss the bearded black man walked past me on the street looking through the trash bins. Several similar men were also in the vicinity further down the street with shabby clothes, and most of them had cigarettes dangling from their mouths, oblivious of the numerous signs against smoking. As I neared my destination, I saw a group of people, mostly white, who looked out of place. Most of them are in camouflage trousers with grey tank tops, big backpacks and chained wallets. One group has particularly huge backpacks and has a walking toddler and another in a stroller. They are identifiable as what one of my lecturers calls transients, living on the street as street kids. It looked as if they were headed for the train station.

Sitting in the outside area of the Starbucks later, I notice many passers-by with rolling suitcases, most of them white. The suitcases, one can guess, have their belongings, and they do not seem to be in any rush or have any purpose. Most of the people I have seen today do not seem to be frantic or excited with most looking relaxed. This particular group seems to be going about everyday activities with the suitcases rolling behind them. Most of the people seated around me are white with a few Asians. I spot two Hispanic men working at the sports souvenir shop also people-watching. They do not take any notice of the businessmen and women, instead preferring to make comments to attractive women going past them. However, the most noticeable group of people during my entire visit was the tourist types, almost exclusively white or Asian, walking in their tourist gear while looking, for souvenirs, to take back. The most unforgettable would have to be the mostly black men with bags rummaging through the trash bins. While some seemed to have some form of relationship with the guards and those working in the stores, some of the more shabby ones kept to themselves; moreover, they did not speak to anyone. Overall, it was an interesting visit.