Since I have been back people have asked me what did I think of America? It is difficult to sum up all the impressions and given I was only there for a month, I could have things all wrong, but here goes…
The people.
People were friendly and courteous towards me on almost all occasions.
It is very difficult to say what a typical American looks like. Not a white guy with a crew cut! They are a very diverse group of people. In cities on the E and west coasts I think I saw far more people of Asian descent than those of European descent. Obviously there were African Americans too, but I don’t think I was conscious of seeing any of the First Nations people, native Americans.
I am not sure how integrated these groups are or what makes them all American other than location, but somehow it doesn’t seem to be question they ask themselves. They are proud of their flag and often fly it at home.
I saw lots of churches, and new cathedrals too in LA where mass was being well attended, but no mosques.
It is a very ordered society and I don’t think people question much. I was startled to see how armed the police are. I don’t think one would want to step out of line.
One does not jay walk and one waits for the white man pedestrian light before stepping off the pavement , but then the cars do stop for you .
I was surprised by the many homeless people on the street, and also especially in the NW by the number of people who seem to be on drugs, gabbling to themselves. On 2 occasions people who said they were war veterans approached me for money. I am surprised that the world’s wealthiest nation cannot take better care of its war vets or shelter its homeless.
Although food portions seem smaller than when I visited 15 years ago there are still lots of obese people, especially young people and more in the south. There are also lots of disabled people in wheelchairs using local public transport. It is good to see there are facilities for them.
I noticed both in Portland and Chicago posters reading “Black lives matter” and I think African Americans are perhaps currently the most politically conscious group in society.
On the trains, I met several people who were articulate and interesting. Climate change is a given they all seem to accept as a reality, despite their current president. I was on the train when there was another school shooting and happened to be talking to a lady with teenage children. She was appalled at the current school shootings but seem to feel they cannot change things in this generation. And I guess that sums it up, they seem generally satisfied with things, or maybe feel powerless. It is strange to say, but although everyone seemed very pleasant, I didn’t really feel I understood what made them tick.
The landscape.
It is a big and very diverse country, but there are some obvious things. The east coast seems very well watered and has big rivers and still lots of woodland. I didn’t see much agriculture there. The northern plains are very fertile and farmed and must produce massive harvests. One cannot help wondering how the European settlers adjusted to the scale of the place when they first arrived. The SW is dry and has water problems similar to ours in the Cape. Too many people want to live there and they only have the Colorado river. The Rio Grande doesn’t seem to live up to its name.
The North west is beautiful with mountains with coniferous forests and big rivers and some farmland, and I didn’t get to see the centre of the country. I think agriculture is still practiced widely, but I think some areas may have been returned to nature. I noticed many decaying industrial buildings on the edges of towns, perhaps those industries no longer exist or have moved to Asia or elsewhere. It is difficult to see where the country derives it wealth. I guess it must be from industries which don’t have much visual impact on the landscape or the factories are hidden from view.
The Food
There is a big difference in the food eaten by the affluent and the general fast food which I was eating mostly. But even here one can find nice wraps etc. It is just when it is frozen and warmed in microwaves as it was on the train that it can be dire. It is all fairly bland though. No herbs and spices. I had some very nice meals at Museums cafes where one could have a range of salads or soup. At Grand Central station I even saw a special unit to grow salad ingredients on site.
My favourite for breakfast was a bagel and real Philadelphia cream cheese or a croissant or pain au chocolat with coffee. Pastries were mostly good and sometimes the range of donuts eye popping, but they were all very sweet.
Visiting supermarkets was also an experience- the range of drinks and pre cooked meals was enormous. In Denver I spotted people loading up with full plates of dinner and heading for the check out. I am not sure if they carried it home through the streets like that!.
All packaging has to list the item’s calories, but I don’t think it has to list all the ingredients as SA packaging does. Coffee usually comes in 3 sizes and a range of flavours and many people seem to drink enormous smoothy type drinks for breakfast. Flavoured tea is also pretty big. Alcohol is freely available at supermarkets, but I don’t think I ever saw a drunk person.
Travelling by train
Most people I met were vacationing and some were travelling by train for the first time and loving it. It seems internal flights in the US have cut back on services and meals and the security at airports is so onerous that people are looking to the trains again. There are no security checks at stations but people are constantly warned to be alert. “If you see something, say something” is the motto.
For someone not in a hurry, I would thoroughly recommend this way of travel which harks back to a more leisurely and gracious age. Even in coach class one has far more space than in a bus or aircraft and the observation cars are truly lovely – not great for taking pics though as there are always reflections from the overhead windows.
I never met anyone else on a railpass like me and the only other long term traveller I met was a Brit who had spent 3 months travelling the USA on greyhound busses.
Which city did I like best?
New York. It was the second time I had been there and I felt at home in a funny way. Not overwhelmed, Manhattan really isn’t such a big place and the museums are just great. I would like to spend more time there.
The Art
What a lot of great art I saw. Much of it from Europe and elsewhere. American collectors and institutions have been so well funded for the last century and a half that they have built up amazing collections. It was also great to see works of famous American artists too and I discovered I liked lots of works by people I had never heard of before.
I really fell for paintings by van Gogh and Amsterdam is now high on my list of places to visit next. It all has to do with the texture. Jackson Pollock I started to appreciate for the same reason.
Coming from a country where we don’t have such great collections it was amazing to be able feast one’s eyes, but like a glutton, one does become sated and after a month it was good to come home.
Would I like to live in America? No thanks I don’t think so, but visit again especially to see those fabulous museums, yes please…