Visiting Denver on the Cheap. Tales From the Corporate Frontlines:Going International and Learning about Cultural Diversity.
Looking for a great place to visit on a budget? Denver just might be your answer. It can be expensive but, if you play your cards right, you can have a great time without spending an arm and a leg.
First, sleep cheap. This means you probably won't want to stay in a downtown hotel. For example, a one-night stay for a family of four at a typical downtown Denver hotel such as the Tabor Center Westin will set you back about $259 per night.
In comparison, your family can stay at a Comfort Inn in Aurora for about $80 or at the Four Seasons by Sheraton Cherry Creek for around $85 a night.
Denver's Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the Denver Art Museum are all reasonably priced. If you hit on the right day, you can even get into these city-supported attractions free. Otherwise, the Zoo will cost you about $36 for a family of four, and the Museum around $42. The museum has a great planetarium and, for a few dollars extra, you can watch a film in its IMAX Theater.
Denver's 17th Street Mall is a great place to people watch. You can usually catch some street entertainers and, if you hit the mall the right week, you'll find a fun event called Buskerfest.
Another great place to stroll and people watch is Larimer Square. One hundred years ago, it was Denver's red light district. The historical feeling has been preserved but where ladies of the night once hung out, you'll now find some fun, interesting shops.
Tours of the Denver Mint and Coors Brewery are free. After the Coors tour, you'll even be invited to sample some of the company's products.
If you like picnicking and associated outdoor recreation such as hiking, Denver has parks aplenty. Two of he most popular are Washington Park and Cheesman Park. If you don't mind driving a bit, be sure to take in Red Rocks Park southwest of Denver between I-70 and US 285.The Red Rocks natural amphitheater is totally one of a kind. Musicians love to play there and once you see it, you'll know why. There are also a group of mountain parks owned by the City of Denver. Some of the most popular of these include Cub Creek and Dillon Park, Daniels Park, Echo Lake Park, and Lookout Mountain Park. Use of all these parks is free and they are great places to hike around and see some beautiful mountain scenery. These parks are all west of Denver and are easy to find. Don't miss Genesee Park. It's only about 30 minutes west of Denver and is home to an honest-to-goodness buffalo herd.
Fishing and other forms of water sports can be found at our two metropolitan lakes - Cherry Creek and Chatfield Reservoirs. Cherry Creek Reservoir is about 25 minutes southeast of downtown Denver via Parker Road. Chatfield can be reached by driving south to C-470 and then west to Wadsworth Blvd.
Finally, try to drive up to Evergreen, CO via I-70 or Colorado #73. If you take Colorado #73, you'll go through a couple of fun, small towns - Morrison and Kittridge -- and drive a beautiful canyon. Evergreen itself hosts many small shops, excellent restaurants and even a Denver Public Golf Course where you get to drive over one of the largest boulders you'll ever see.
Douglas Hanna
Article by Douglas Hanna. Douglas is a retired advertising and marketing executive and long-time Denver resident. He is the webmaster of http://www.all-in-one-info.com, a free resource for information on a variety of subjects. Please visit his site to subscribe to his free newsletter, "Tips & Tricks to Save Money & Live Better."
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Going International and Learning about Cultural Diversity
This article relates to the Diversity in the Workplace Competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. This competency explores whether your organization provides understanding and supports interaction among diverse population groups while respecting individuals' personal values and ideas. Research shows that by fostering a climate where equity and mutual respect are intrinsic, an organization can create a success-oriented, cooperative and caring work environment that draws intellectual strength and produces innovative solutions from the synergy of its people. All businesses can benefit from a diverse body of talent bringing fresh ideas, perspectives, and views to the workplace. However, a diverse workforce means that the managers within your organization must be capable of capitalizing on the mixture of genders, cultural backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles present in your staff to respond to business opportunities more rapidly and creatively.
This article, Going International
and Learning about Cultural Diversity, is part of AlphaMeasure's compilation, Tales from the Corporate Frontlines. It provides insight and advice for successful communication between employees from different countries and diverse cultural backgrounds.
Anonymous Submission
Our small company, which had previously done business only in the U.S.A., was recently purchased by a large organization with business units located around the world. The plans were laid for our integration into the new parent company, and our work methods and procedures changed substantially.
My coworkers and I found developing close working relationships with employees located in other countries and from different cultures to be a particularly challenging part of the transition. We were accustomed to most of our fellow employees residing in the same building, and now we were part of a team that stretched halfway around the world. Sometimes it was hard to understand that we were all part of the same workforce. We worked and learned about cultural diversity together, and have built strong partnerships over the past year. Modern technology links us all everyday - by phone, e-mail teleconferencing and for some, frequent international travel. Much of our learning was accomplished through trial and error, and we all made some mistakes that we laugh about and some that we are quite content to forget. Here are a few of the lessons we learned, offered in the hope that they may be helpful to others:
* Go slow- listen a lot, and get to know your new coworkers. Remember that it takes time to build strong business relationships - in any culture.
* Learn the culture - do a little research - it's easy to find out about customs involving titles, surnames, or status, and can save you the embarrassment of unnecessary social mistakes.
* Be sensitive - find out what cultural rules apply and be considerate enough to abide by them. Be careful in conversation, and avoid non-business topics like politics, religion and humor, at least until you become better acquainted.
* Recognize differences - in attitudes and practices across cultures, especially when dealing with work issues like punctuality, scheduling, and deadline flexibility.
If your business is going global on a large scale, your company might consider offering its employees a training program in workplace diversity or multicultural relations. Take advantage of these opportunities when offered, or suggest them to the appropriate people in your organization. Employee satisfaction surveys have shown that being well informed helps when deriving the maximum benefits in productivity and performance for the entire organization.
© 2005 AlphaMeasure, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
This article may be reprinted, provided it is published in its entirety, includes the author bio information, and all links remain active.
Measure. Report. Improve your organization with AlphaMeasure employee surveys.
Josh Greenberg is President of AlphaMeasure, Inc.
AlphaMeasure provides organizations of all sizes a powerful web based method for measuring employee satisfaction, determining employee engagement, and increasing employee retention.
Launch your employee satisfaction survey with AlphaMeasure.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
OTHER INTERESTING POSTS
Beginner's Guide To Free For All Sites (FFA's)
The Best Way To Promote Your Website, or Anything Else!
Staying Active Helps Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer
The Perfect Diet Combined with a Healthy Weight Management
How To Buy Property in Spain Safely
Mulch Your Spring Flower Bulbs in the Fall for a Beautiful Spring Display
Thanksgiving
The 7 Stages of a Romantic Relationship
How To Master the Art of Super Salesmanship
Holistic Pet Care...From a Distinctly Christian Perspective
