I have been thinking a lot about the Pacific Northwest lately. I'm not sure what's to blame for this... it's been something in the back of my mind for a while, but...lately I haven't been able to quiet it as effectively as usual. The last time I was there was nearly 18 years ago. I just have a feeling it'd be a good place for me.
And that makes me worry.
Quite a few years ago I was deeply involved in a long-distance relationship with Santa Fe, NM. It was entirely one-sided, as I highly doubt Santa Fe was checking out my pics online...but I was happy anyway. I sort of felt like that would be my home. Like, if I went there, I would instantly feel right and just want to stay forever and ever. One summer after visiting family, my mother and I decided to stop there on our way back home. What a mistake.
I found myself nearly crushed by stampeding tourists. They all looked the same, too. First came the slightly taller than average, skinny, mean-looking woman. Trotting along behind her was a downtrodden, chubby man in golf shorts and sandals with socks, carrying bags full of stuff the skinny woman just couldn't live without. The sorts of things they purchased were the usual mass-produced southwestern artifacts found in truck stops all along the highway. Maybe, just maybe, they'd stop to look at what the street vendors had to offer... but would probably just respond with something like, "how quaint," and move on to the next air conditioned shop. That might be a jewelry shop, where the skinny woman would get something made of turquoise that she'll never have occasion to wear. And of course no trip would be complete without the obligatory piece of genuine southwestern art - a painting that would look right at home on the wall of a budget motel. I'd be willing to bet that many of the paintings were also mass-produced. Did I mention that all the tourists were over 55? Well...they were.
Maybe Santa Fe just wasn't the artsy place I was expecting... because I was expecting hippies...not droves of assholes talking way too loudly on their cell phones and not watching where they're going.
I worry that if I go back to Oregon or Washington, the people will ruin the scenery. Or worse, the scenery won't live up to the dream.
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