December meme: 5 Places I've Walked
Dec. 24th, 2022 11:44 amFrom ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
libitina, five places I've walked in the past and one where I'd like to in the future.
Venice (Italy)
I'm fortunate enough to have visited Venice twice in my life--once at 17 and once at 37. For a long time it was my favorite city in the world. I love the combination of beauty, decadence, and decay. It's incredible to me that people actually live there, permanently, full-time--or at least they will until it finally, fully sinks into the sea. Pickpockets aside, it's probably the safest place I've ever walked due to the complete absence of motorized vehicles on the roads.
New Orleans
Yet more good fortune that I experienced the last New Year's Eve NOLA celebrated pre-Katrina. I'd never felt the instant sensation of home in a city before (or since) and that was magical. I seriously considered quitting my life in Kansas and moving there. I can't say I regret not doing it but I often wonder what my life would look like if I had. The comparison to Venice was easy. Obviously the combination of beauty, decadence, and decay truly speaks to me (Transience! The Impermanence of Being!).
Muscatatuck State Park
A small state park in southern Indiana near where I was lucky enough to spend six years of my childhood. Friends of my parents lived on land adjacent to the park (their back yard bled into the tree line) so I got to spend time in those woods, just wandering by myself. I never got lost, but I never walked too far in because I was a responsible child. Alas. I sometimes fantasize about walking into a forest like that and just... not stopping. Deep, dark woods hold no existential terror for me--I just hate ticks.
New York City
I don't travel much, but NYC is my favorite city to visit. I appreciate how the natives are a combination of polite and distant. I also like how there's a sense of ... not camaraderie necessarily, but community. With so many resources within walking distance it's less car-based than Midwestern cities and even though I love cars and driving I don't think they're good for humanity in general.
Kansas University Campus
I spent nearly 30 years on KU's campus as a student, an employee, or both. I don't think there's a single building on the main campus I haven't walked through (except for the new Business School building that was recently finished). It's a gorgeous campus with a variety of architecture, winding sidewalks, hills, lots of trees, and even a little pond. Academia in general can suck it, but I did like how it felt to walk around KU when I belonged there.
As for where I'd like to walk in the future:
Tokyo Alleyways
I love alleys in general. When I'm walking around downtown Lawrence I often walk down the alleys instead of the sidewalk. Especially if it's a game day. I feel like alleys show how people and businesses actually live. There's no literal or metaphorical front to hide behind. I actually kind of like the brief, unpleasant smells that accompany alley-walking. They're a sign of life (and decay) and it's easy enough to keep walking (and hold one's breath for a few steps if necessary). There's something deeply appealing to me, even comforting, about the close, narrow buildings and winding power lines. The images spark a feeling kind of like that home sensation NOLA sparked in me. I'd like to see if I feel it in person, too.
If you'd like to ask me for five somethings (I'm terrible at favorites, but I'll give you five and you can pick your favorite 😂), please leave a comment on this post!
libitina, five places I've walked in the past and one where I'd like to in the future.Venice (Italy)
I'm fortunate enough to have visited Venice twice in my life--once at 17 and once at 37. For a long time it was my favorite city in the world. I love the combination of beauty, decadence, and decay. It's incredible to me that people actually live there, permanently, full-time--or at least they will until it finally, fully sinks into the sea. Pickpockets aside, it's probably the safest place I've ever walked due to the complete absence of motorized vehicles on the roads.
New Orleans
Yet more good fortune that I experienced the last New Year's Eve NOLA celebrated pre-Katrina. I'd never felt the instant sensation of home in a city before (or since) and that was magical. I seriously considered quitting my life in Kansas and moving there. I can't say I regret not doing it but I often wonder what my life would look like if I had. The comparison to Venice was easy. Obviously the combination of beauty, decadence, and decay truly speaks to me (Transience! The Impermanence of Being!).
Muscatatuck State Park
A small state park in southern Indiana near where I was lucky enough to spend six years of my childhood. Friends of my parents lived on land adjacent to the park (their back yard bled into the tree line) so I got to spend time in those woods, just wandering by myself. I never got lost, but I never walked too far in because I was a responsible child. Alas. I sometimes fantasize about walking into a forest like that and just... not stopping. Deep, dark woods hold no existential terror for me--I just hate ticks.
New York City
I don't travel much, but NYC is my favorite city to visit. I appreciate how the natives are a combination of polite and distant. I also like how there's a sense of ... not camaraderie necessarily, but community. With so many resources within walking distance it's less car-based than Midwestern cities and even though I love cars and driving I don't think they're good for humanity in general.
Kansas University Campus
I spent nearly 30 years on KU's campus as a student, an employee, or both. I don't think there's a single building on the main campus I haven't walked through (except for the new Business School building that was recently finished). It's a gorgeous campus with a variety of architecture, winding sidewalks, hills, lots of trees, and even a little pond. Academia in general can suck it, but I did like how it felt to walk around KU when I belonged there.
As for where I'd like to walk in the future:
Tokyo Alleyways
I love alleys in general. When I'm walking around downtown Lawrence I often walk down the alleys instead of the sidewalk. Especially if it's a game day. I feel like alleys show how people and businesses actually live. There's no literal or metaphorical front to hide behind. I actually kind of like the brief, unpleasant smells that accompany alley-walking. They're a sign of life (and decay) and it's easy enough to keep walking (and hold one's breath for a few steps if necessary). There's something deeply appealing to me, even comforting, about the close, narrow buildings and winding power lines. The images spark a feeling kind of like that home sensation NOLA sparked in me. I'd like to see if I feel it in person, too.
If you'd like to ask me for five somethings (I'm terrible at favorites, but I'll give you five and you can pick your favorite 😂), please leave a comment on this post!