Platial | Who and What's Nearby
Platial | Who and What's Nearby
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Downtown Valparaiso: the place where the past tries to manifest itself in a yuppie/country town. THe buildings all have an older facade that is found in many small town downtowns, but with many of those facades with a new look to them. Brick is also everywhere. It adorns all but a few of the smaller and most recent buildings, giving the place a sharp and hard edge. THe roads appear wide, but are actually narrow, and often one way roads. THe city tries for such tight control of the traffic, suggesting a need for order and power in those in charge.
In the center of the town is a large older building that looks like a courthouse. But is it? This is hard to tell since there is little on the building to signify it as such. There is another building that is a main government building that could be the courthouse. This building is off to the side, on a corner about two streets away from the center and near roads taht the average traveler has no real reason to take. The city hall is bricked similar to the rest of the town, and sits on a corner of the central square. Other then the street signs, including the massive amount of Do Not Enter signs that are everywhere, and the overly long stop lights, actual signs of an active government are hard to find. One gets the impression of a hiding government and law enforcement, giving way to the idea that they are trying to stay away from the people of their own town.
Of course, the nature is very properly cared for and neatly trimmed, suggesting more government involvement, but all this says is that the people want the place to look nice.
Most of the noticeable buildings actually hold stores, boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. Those that hold alternative businesses are discreet, and not so easy to identify. THe town caters to the middle class yuppie. And the older citizen. Few of the people to be seen appeared overly young or in the least bit without money. And the vast majority of the people are white. If looking for a very racially intermingled town, then a traveler has come to the wrong place. Granted, the fact that it was a rainy day meant that not many people were out and about, but there were enough for a person to asume that there would be at least a few non-caucasians in this town, but that was not so. Valparaiso is a very homogenized place, and the area screams small town country.
Granted, it is a decent looking little town, and it was being viewed on a grey and bleak day. Those kind of days can damper anyone's warm feelings towards a place. But this town had a feeling of falseness. Just moving beyond the main road, and on the other roads of the square, and walker can see the oldness of some of the buildings, and the neglect. It also becomes quite obvious that all the facades on the buildings that are new and shiny were just placed over the original, decaying buildings. The town is guilded, and while it is a decent and safe place to walk for and afternoon (provided the weather behaves), it is not a place where someone who is culturally and politically aware should linger. The atmosphere of the town just brings a person down.
Downtown Valparaiso: the place where the past tries to manifest itself in a yuppie/country town. THe buildings all have an older facade that is found in many small town downtowns, but with many of those facades with a new look to them. Brick is also everywhere. It adorns all but a few of the smaller and most recent buildings, giving the place a sharp and hard edge. THe roads appear wide, but are actually narrow, and often one way roads. THe city tries for such tight control of the traffic, suggesting a need for order and power in those in charge.
In the center of the town is a large older building that looks like a courthouse. But is it? This is hard to tell since there is little on the building to signify it as such. There is another building that is a main government building that could be the courthouse. This building is off to the side, on a corner about two streets away from the center and near roads taht the average traveler has no real reason to take. The city hall is bricked similar to the rest of the town, and sits on a corner of the central square. Other then the street signs, including the massive amount of Do Not Enter signs that are everywhere, and the overly long stop lights, actual signs of an active government are hard to find. One gets the impression of a hiding government and law enforcement, giving way to the idea that they are trying to stay away from the people of their own town.
Of course, the nature is very properly cared for and neatly trimmed, suggesting more government involvement, but all this says is that the people want the place to look nice.
Most of the noticeable buildings actually hold stores, boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. Those that hold alternative businesses are discreet, and not so easy to identify. THe town caters to the middle class yuppie. And the older citizen. Few of the people to be seen appeared overly young or in the least bit without money. And the vast majority of the people are white. If looking for a very racially intermingled town, then a traveler has come to the wrong place. Granted, the fact that it was a rainy day meant that not many people were out and about, but there were enough for a person to asume that there would be at least a few non-caucasians in this town, but that was not so. Valparaiso is a very homogenized place, and the area screams small town country.
Granted, it is a decent looking little town, and it was being viewed on a grey and bleak day. Those kind of days can damper anyone's warm feelings towards a place. But this town had a feeling of falseness. Just moving beyond the main road, and on the other roads of the square, and walker can see the oldness of some of the buildings, and the neglect. It also becomes quite obvious that all the facades on the buildings that are new and shiny were just placed over the original, decaying buildings. The town is guilded, and while it is a decent and safe place to walk for and afternoon (provided the weather behaves), it is not a place where someone who is culturally and politically aware should linger. The atmosphere of the town just brings a person down.
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