America - Some Assembly Required
As you already know, L.A. lacks toilets. Did you also know that it lacks a city centre? That’s right, on any scale map of the city no one can point to where “Downtown” is. The city, it seems, comes in pieces.
And there are many pieces. Perhaps you’re interested in Chinatown, Little Toyko, Thai Town (not to be confused with Toy Town, which is not as nice as it sounds. Think of more adult toys…), Filipino town, Pueblo area, Little Italy, or Hollywood? You can go to any of those places fine, each one a distinct island in a sea of factories (not houses. There seem to be very few houses) with no attachment to any of its neighbours. If you’re dedicated, and not afraid, you can walk between two of them, but only just.
A big, soulless conglomeration of people who do not speak to any of those other people from the other pods. And each one has its own little quirks. You might fall over payphones at every corner in Chinatown, but Little Tokyo is devoid of them. And whilst Little Italy is full of Californian oranges, heaven help you if you want any fruit in the Pueblo area.
At some point, maybe the town planners will put the whole thing together and make a real city. In the meantime, though, if you want to see a socially-experimental SimCity in the flesh, I can tell you exactly where to go.
Location, North America | saf | 
May 19, 2009 7:19 pm
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