From riding my scooter I have discovered that a ride to work in New Orleans is much more than just a commute, its an experience on a scooter. I determined today that I use every one of my senses on my "ride" to work.
Sight- This is not a new one for me being that you can see out of a car also, but when you are on a scooter you have nothing to block your view of the wonderful architecture and history that the city radiates. But you also have nothing to block the view of the sad things of New Orleans. Food/shelter lines on Claiborne, storm ravaged buildings that no one has touched (despite some being very beautiful), the homeless village under the I-10 bridge, the disrepair of most of the streets.
Smell- It's amazing the smells you discover when you riding that you never knew were there, or grossly misjudged the strength of until now. I begin with negative and finish with positive on this sense. First discovery, the stench of the homeless village under I-10. It makes perfect since that it would not smell great, but it makes your heart hurt for this people even more when you smell the strength of the urine and unclean smell, and this is with the area being pressured washed twice a week. Second discovery...Food Smells. New Orleans is known for is wonderful food, but does it really have to tease me like this...Does it not know that I don't have the time nor money to stop and try it...
Taste- This links back to smell a bit...I can almost taste the ham, egg, and cheese Po-boy at the pink Po-boy place on St. Claude and Elysian Fields (Gene's Po-Boy), though I have never actually tasted it. The drive by McDonald's is a sensory experience too...Ahhh chicken biscuit (sometimes I bow to this temptation)
Touch- The feel of the wind on you face and skin is an experince that can only be experienced, and not discribed. Its like sticking your head out the window in a car, without the fear of falling out, or losing control of the car. You can also feel the wonderful streets of New Orleans, smooth 3% of the time, bumpy 97%....Ahh but its one of the things that lets you know your home.
Hear- Of course you can hear a city with its emergency vehicles, construction, street cars (clang clang) and car noises, but riding a scooter adds to this. Not only do you hear more city sounds but you hear them better. Also riding a scooter adds another dimension , I listen to every bump and sound the scooter makes and the sounds that come from the road, just to make sure I am not losing parts of the scooter, or my lunch off the back (I know i should have put it in the seat storage, but so much easier to just bungee it to the back). My hearing came in handy several times when I have lost reports off the back (just once), and this morning when my lunch fell off (under seat storage from now on).
Smell- It's amazing the smells you discover when you riding that you never knew were there, or grossly misjudged the strength of until now. I begin with negative and finish with positive on this sense. First discovery, the stench of the homeless village under I-10. It makes perfect since that it would not smell great, but it makes your heart hurt for this people even more when you smell the strength of the urine and unclean smell, and this is with the area being pressured washed twice a week. Second discovery...Food Smells. New Orleans is known for is wonderful food, but does it really have to tease me like this...Does it not know that I don't have the time nor money to stop and try it...
Taste- This links back to smell a bit...I can almost taste the ham, egg, and cheese Po-boy at the pink Po-boy place on St. Claude and Elysian Fields (Gene's Po-Boy), though I have never actually tasted it. The drive by McDonald's is a sensory experience too...Ahhh chicken biscuit (sometimes I bow to this temptation)
Touch- The feel of the wind on you face and skin is an experince that can only be experienced, and not discribed. Its like sticking your head out the window in a car, without the fear of falling out, or losing control of the car. You can also feel the wonderful streets of New Orleans, smooth 3% of the time, bumpy 97%....Ahh but its one of the things that lets you know your home.
Hear- Of course you can hear a city with its emergency vehicles, construction, street cars (clang clang) and car noises, but riding a scooter adds to this. Not only do you hear more city sounds but you hear them better. Also riding a scooter adds another dimension , I listen to every bump and sound the scooter makes and the sounds that come from the road, just to make sure I am not losing parts of the scooter, or my lunch off the back (I know i should have put it in the seat storage, but so much easier to just bungee it to the back). My hearing came in handy several times when I have lost reports off the back (just once), and this morning when my lunch fell off (under seat storage from now on).
1 comment:
Love it!
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