Walking out of the airport felt like I was walking through a conservatory. The climate was revealed through plants, the latitude through darkness. The ride to the hotel was rather calming even with the motorcycles racing by within inches of us and the lack of signs useful in maintaining traffic speeds. It’s surprising how little “road rage” appears in what seems to be organized chaos. Women sitting on the back of motorcycles perfectly primped wearing dresses and high heels, while the men maneuver them safely through traffic. I have yet to see a woman driving behind the handlebars.
I have to admit the cities first impression was one of uneasiness. It may be partly due to the fact that before leaving we read and were told to be “careful”, it’s dangerous; you could possibly be robbed or worse. I’ve never had to be aware of my surroundings to this extent before…. Noticing this numbers of children walking along the roads and searching through the garbage piles for treasures with unknown origins makes me wonder what it would be like and how I’d feel had I grown up here. What would be important if I had? It seems normal for the children to loiter through the streets. No one seems to be chasing down his or her kids like in the U.S.
No comments:
Post a Comment