We are especially interested in a 2011 Christmas-period exchange to Manhattan or Brooklyn (within reasonable distance of the subway), since we have a daughter living and working in Manhattan.

This is a vacation home. Its 6 bedrooms and 4 ½ baths can easily accommodate up to 12 persons. The large great room (55 square meters) with its dining area and kitchen is ideal for gatherings. Small lofts above two of the bedrooms provide inviting play space for children.

The house is situated on the top of a ridge and the linear layout provides the great room and every bedroom with views of the mountains. A small patio adjoins each bedroom and a larger patio extends across the width of the great room. The ceilings in all of the bedrooms are vaulted with skylights. Ceramic-tile floors extend to all areas except the bedrooms and the in-floor heating system is extremely comfortable during colder months. The kitchen with its granite counter tops and new appliances is separated from the great room by a 3 meter long breakfast bar that serves as a pleasant gathering spot to socialize as meals are prepared. Above the kitchen and looking over the great room is a game loft (40 square meters) with a large screen television and regulation size pool table.

The house surroundings are native trees and grasses and it is not unusual to see deer and other wild life just outside the north windows. Despite the feeling of being in the mountains, the city of Durango is less than 15 minutes away.

Durango lies at the very center of an extremely diverse recreational region. Some of the most beautiful mountains in Colorado rise to the north and east of the city. Spectacular desert-canyon areas including Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park lie only a few hours to the west and Grand Canyon National Park is only half a day away. Mesa Verde National Park with its exceptional cliff dwellings is only an hour away. The culturally interesting towns of Santa Fe and Taos in New Mexico are a drive of only 5 hours to the south.

The city of Durango, which is a popular tourist destination, is home to Fort Lewis College, which contributes to the liveliness of the city. Despite the small permanent population of only 15,000, the city boasts an exceptionally wide variety of excellent restaurants. In fact, a recent newspaper article in the Denver paper noted that the city has more restaurants per capita than does San Francisco. A variety of shops and many of the restaurants are situated along Main Street, which retains the feel of the central thoroughfare in an old western town.

A narrow-gauge railroad runs regularly from Durango to the old mining town of Silverton, high in the mountains to the north. This all-day excursion is probably the most scenic train ride in the United States. The spectacular drive to Silverton is less than two hours and continues north over the breathlessly dramatic Red Mountain Pass to the small town of Ouray. The memorable drive and pleasant shops and restaurants in Ouray provide an unforgettable day.

We are open to pets in our home except for cats, since I have a severe allergy to cat dander.

Open to any dates

We have been surprised by some proposals made to us and have enjoyed the five exchanges that were proposed to us. In each case, we probably would not have made the proposal ourselves, but grew more interested as we looked at the opportunity. We are especially interested in a 2011 Christmas exchange to Manhattan or Brooklyn.

My name is Don and my wife is Paige. We both retired in 2003 from professional careers. I have a PHD in physics and after working in a laboratory for half my career became manager of a science program. Paige was a manager of administrative activities for a scientific organization. After retiring, Paige earned a law degree and is practicing that profession part time. We enjoy travel, and also enjoy our time in Boulder with friends and family (6 children and 8 grandchildren). Our primary residence is in Boulder, Colorado, another popular vacation destination, and we list that house separately on this web site. Paige grew up in the Washington, DC area and I was raised in Texas on the Mexican border. We currently have no pets.

Our exchange party would be primarily us (two adults), but we would like to invite several family members (adult children and grand children) to join us, so that our total party might be as many as 6 persons.

English