Manhattan
/This week I am presenting a poster at the SEED 2019 conference. Outside of the conference I had some time to explore the city. As soon as I landed I went to Central Park (the only bit of nature near the city). The park is pretty, and it is easy to get lost in its winding trails. Central Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, a landscape architect who also designed spaces at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
In general the city was beautiful and energizing when considered as a whole/at a distance, but lost its magic when in the thick of things. The more abstact the city was the more beautiful it was. The glitter, the hustle, the energy, the scale is all inspiring and attractive, but it was overshadowed by the ugly. The whole city is crowded and dirty. It smells like urine and hot trash. The city traps heat during the day and radiates it into the night. Cool breezes are rare. It takes forever to get anywhere (by subway, car, or walking). It is not for me but fun to visit.
