Sprawling and Other Urban Activities

I remember when I was in college Z used to talk a lot about urban sprawl. I understood what it meant in principle, but not in reality. I spent most of my childhood years in Manhattan where there isn’t any possibility of urban sprawl. Being an island the only sprawl was upwards and so tall buildings were the way Manhattan spread. So, it’s been a real eye opener to travel to all these cities and see how sprawl has affected them. Portland certainly seems to have concern about sprawl and has actually set an urban growth limit in an attempt to force a regeneration of the more central areas. Baltimore, on the other hand, seems very prone to sprawl. I think until recently anyone who could afford to would move out of the city and into the suburbs. Maybe that was part of the appeal in Portland.

I’ve been thinking more about Baltimore. It was strange. I felt so suspicious as I wandered the streets. I felt kind of racist too. When I saw a group of young black men walking down the street, I did cross the road. Was this all from all my time spent watching “The Wire” or was this about reality? Would that sort of behaviour and thinking leave me if I moved there or would I just end up being someone I disliked?

Its something to think about…

But for now I’m in Boston, with Z and K, spending some time with her cute little monkey A. Good times…