New #6: Visit the State Capitol

This new was one I got to experience through my work, so it was twice as cool because I got paid to do it :) Every year, Loveland (the city where I work as a reporter) elects a high school senior as Miss Loveland Valentine to go around promoting the city and its Valentine-related events. One of the most exciting traditions for this sweetheart is to visit the state capitol ... and I was the reporter this year who got to go along and write about it. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to the day, which started with a 7 a.m. kick off. And it did end up being a really long one, but it was totally worth it.

Like I said, it started at 7 a.m. -- but I didn't mention that it was with a limo ride down to the State Capitol in Denver. Besides the luxury of being in a limo, the drive was actually really fun, especially after Miss Val and I realized we had a lot in common. After about an hour, we pulled up to the capitol and were escorted inside with VIP service. The building has always seemed nice from the outside, but inside it's doors opens a whole new level of elegance and astonishment. I haven't been that impressed by a building since traveling around Europe. With brass, marble, stain glass and intricate filigree, there wasn't an inch not delicately decorated to the tee. We had time to appreciate all of this artistry later, but first we had to rush over the House of Representatives to admire the work that's done inside the impressive walls.

The House's room was fairly big, lined with a semi-circle of bulky desks and plush chairs. The set up all seemed so formal - until the lawmakers began trickling it. It was like home room in high school, with each one joking around and socializing with their neighbors. Even after the giant gavel boomed and the session was called to order, the role call kept the lighthearted spirit going as legislatures answered their names with all kinds of gusto, some even singing to ring-in their presence. Once everyone was in place and accounted for, the rest of the meeting moved really quickly, even though they voted and passed quite a few bills. That system was intriguing, too. When a bill was proposed, each representative voted by pressing a red or green button on their desk, which relayed their decision onto a big score board. I never imagined such a historical process would be so high tech.

After the session, we got a private tour of the building, which started by taking us up 99 stair steps into the Capitol's golden dome. Not only was the inside of the room beautiful, with intricate designs and colorful stain glass, but the windows offered an unobstructed 360-degree view of downtown Denver. With all roads pointing to the capitol, to me, I felt like I was on the top of the entire city.

A view from inside the dome.

The rest of the tour was great, too, and filled with more facts and stories than I thought one building could hold. Later, we were passed off to another guide, who took us on a top secret tour of the little-known underground tunnel system that runs beneath the building. These passageways were originally made so donkeys could carry in and dump coal, which was lit to keep the building warm from the bottom up. Now, it offers a somewhat creepy and mysterious trip that can take people under the street to various buildings around town. Very cool.

By 11 o'clock it felt like we'd already seen everything the capitol had to offer, but some of the best was yet to come. At 11:15, we were ushered the Governor's office, where we waiting to meet the head honcho himself. The front waiting room seemed really small, and we wondered if he had a tiny office. But as soon as we were taken into the next room, we realized how giant of an office the Gov really gets. The room had to be about 500-square-feet in itself, with super high ceilings and huge paintings hung on the walls. I would have taken more time to soak it all in, but I was easily distracted by the Governor standing by the door waiting to shake my hand. Boy did he have a strong governor's grip! I guess it comes with the job. He was very charming, as I assume most politicians are, and spent some time chatting with Miss Val and her family. I know all this wasn't happening for me, but it was still really neat to be in the presence, in the very office, of someone so important.

Following our meeting with the Governor, it was off to a Senate hearing, where we once again got to sit on the same level as the lawmakers and watch them work. I've never been very interested in state politics, but this day really opened my eyes to what our elected officials do -- and the importance of choosing one who will fight for you. So beyond the appreciation for the beautiful building, a new knowledge of its history, and a little bragging rights that I met the Governor, my day gave me the motivation to be a better Coloradan and more involved in the politics of my state. Because with or without my vote, the capitol is always gong to be a very busy place. I might as well throw my two cents into the process.