Although it may seem like it, I haven't really done a catch-all post where it's mostly stream of conscious. I feel like that today.
I've blogged before about how people walk in different countries. Here, if people are walking in the same direction as you, it's all good. But if they are walking towards you, it is a different scene altogether. Imagine a cross between bumper cars and the Invisible Man. People walk aggressively towards you and only yield the minimum space at the very last second and grudgingly. It continues to be disconcerting. Sometimes when faced with a stampeding herd aiming right at me, I actually just stand still, hoping the mass of people will flow around me instead of trampling me. I know you think I'm exaggerating. Please visit me so I can show you I'm not.
The insight I had this week is that people drive and walk the same way. There are no lines or rules. You aim instead of proceeding in an orderly fashion. Crossing the street is often thrilling. At some intersections, there are traffic lights and it's pretty ordinary to cross the street when the light indicates that it's your turn. At other intersections there's a striped crosswalk. You're never sure cars are going to stop when you start to cross. In fact they won't stop at all unless you walk right out in front of them. I love how daily life is an adventure.
I was in a restaurant the other day and two very fashionably dressed. came in. One had a dress like I've never seen. I don't think she wore a bra under it and her breasts were almost entirely visible. I say almost. I won't go into more detail. I said to the waiter, "I wonder what her mother would think about that dress." He laughed so hard, he spilled most of my coffee all over the table. He told me the women were prostitutes. I'm pretty sure he was telling me the truth. It was an area where many foreign businessmen are seen.
If you think this is one of the strangest posts I've written, you may be right.
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