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If the Buildings Aren’t Beautiful, Make Them Bright
A lesson from Europe’s beauty standard
America’s infrastructure isn’t totally soulless, but it’s getting there.
One of the most depressing realizations I had in the past year was how anti-social America was. After a month-long European tour, stomping around the streets of the Netherlands and soaking in the aged beauty of Prague, I got high and worked out at my local gym.
It was nothing new from a typical day of me at home in America. But afterwards, since I wasn’t fit to drive, I decided to take a walk on the nearby trail.
My city, just north of Indianapolis, Indiana, has become fairly walkable in recent years. It’s pretty easy to get around by foot or bike nowadays, with plenty of paved paths and safe crosswalks.
It’s the thing you look for first after spending time in Europe. You get used to walking everywhere (a.k.a eating what you want and still being in shape).
I walked about half a mile from the gym to the city center, where there’s plenty of shops. Since I was on an edible, I really craved ice cream, so I stood in line on this hot summer day and waited for my cone.
