The Boulder tourist: while there is not one objective definition of
a tourist, we all have seen what we may call the “typical
tourists.” The people who have cameras draping from their necks,
looking up, down, and around, their gaze somehow interfering with
their ability to remember that walking requires putting one foot in
front of the other. The person who stops in the middle of a crowded
street to pull out their map only to be spotted by the locals
quicker than they can mutter the words “how do you get to
Pearl Street?” While we all can admit to be embarrassed by the behavior
of the tourist–either on a personal or national level, we must
remember that each of us has been or will be a tourist. But, how do
I get the most out of my trip to Boulder, CO? Talk to the locals and they will
lead you to what I would call the “underground” spots. The coffee shops that have live musicians
performing on a nightly basis (the laughing goat and the cigar bar are just two of these spots).

The goal, then, is to reconsider the ways in which we perceive tourism, and the ways we
address ourselves as tourists.

If we perceive tourism as a means of looking and seeing, then we
are merely scratching the surface of a place. If we want to be
somewhat of the “tourist police,” we can say that there are
tourists and there are “responsible tourists.” The normal
tourist sees the visible, the apparent, and society’s constructed
identity of what is important to experience in a given space.
The “responsible tourist,” however, seeks to see the true
confessions and character of a place, intergrate and interact with
it’s people. To be a responsible tourist is best described by
Richard (played by Leonardo Dicaprio in the movie The Beach) in
which he states that the responsible traveler “never refuses an
invitation, never fails to be polite, and never outstays the
welcome. They keep their mind open and suck in the experience. And
if it hurts, you know what? It’s probably worth it.” To be a
responsible tourist you must experience it–to feel it from the
soles of your feet to the pressing thoughts in your head. Being Bold
enough to risk reaching out into the unknown. Uncharted territory
compared to other tourists that came before you. This is the Boulder
that awaits the bold tourist!

This “type” of tourist is neither judgmental nor hesitant.
However, they do not beautify the place either because one cannot
simply paint over the ugly parts–just as history cannot be
eradicated from the experiences of people or place. The tourist
should focus on their senses, paying special attention to gestures,
emotions, sounds, and smells. The tourist should not just exist. The
tourist who is listening and learning needs to be present, focusing
on real human interactions, interpretive observations, and the
assemblage of the senses. If the tourist can achieve this state of
arrival, then the true character of this place will reveal
itself—perhaps causing the tourist to re-evaluate preconceived
notions, question the powers that be, and become galvanized.

Article written by: Jobi Berger, BolderLife Project Manager, Filmmaker Liaison, and
coffee shop connoisseur