Two Cities, One Street
I went down to Santa Cruz tonight after work and wandered around Pacific Avenue and all the shops there. I came to the conclusion that there really are two different Santa Cruz’s. There is the hip, young, surfer, cool California crowd that is fun and easy going. Then there is the darker, seedier drug culture that is, in a lot of ways, scary. I walked up and down the streets there and you would see people like me walking out of The Gap or the O’Neill surf shop and right there would be people who look like they are homeless or at least haven’t bathed in weeks smoking god knows what and begging for spare change. I’m not advocating pushing them off the streets or anything and I’m not trying to guilt trip anyone either, it’s just an observation. It really reminds me of Belltown back in Seattle. All the glitz and glamor of 1st Ave just two blocks from the drugs and violence of 3rd Ave. Anyway, time for bed. I gotta make it through this week and then next week is staff retreat! Yeah!
