For
my blog this week I
decided to take a walking tour of the city where I live.
When
you live in a city you tend not to look critically at the elements that make up
the city but rather you look at it in a utilitarian sort of way. Nearest
supermarkets, closest bus stops, best restaurants etc. Now I was looking at the people walking along
with me or people going in and out of the stores.
In the residential areas of Beverly Hills my
fellow walkers were joggers and people taking their dogs for a walk. The joggers were very business-like not
smiling or glancing around but keeping to a routine that they had planned ahead
of time. The people with the dogs were
much more social often saying hello and usually smiling and returning
greetings. Since this is an affluent area these people were mostly dressed
nicely.
 |
| view from my street |
Then I reached the business area and was
struck at the sharp contract in not only the type of people there but also the
rhythm of the city. Everywhere you
looked there were tour buses and tour groups. The people had a variety of
accents and spoke several strange (to me) languages. They were dressed in casual attire and were
mostly enjoying themselves as they stopped every few feet to take holiday
snapshots. I had to remind myself that
the landmarks that I pass everyday and the stored that I see all the time are
attractions that people come thousands of miles to see. Usually these are the people that I get mad
at for blocking traffic and generally slowing down the city.
 |
| the main sign on Santa Monica Blvd. |
It was very easy to spot the
residents because they walked with a purpose and didn’t dawdle. The residents
parked their cars and went straight to the store where they had business and
then left. The tourists spent a great deal
of time window shopping and standing in front of stores or fancy cars or brand
names stores to get their pictures taken. In sharp contrast to these people
were the homeless people who are attracted to such areas because they hope rich
people will be more generous. On almost
every street there were at least one of two panhandlers sitting in front of
restaurants and stores. Since technically panhandling is illegal they don’t ask
for money directly but rather rely on people to give them something out of
sympathy or shame. The Beverly Hills
police department knows exactly how many homeless people populate their city on
a regular basis. They know them by name
and the usual places they hang around. But by the most part they leave them
alone as long as they do not become dangerous or bother people.
By mid afternoon the streets
suddenly filled with students. From elementary school aged children to the
youth from the high school these children fill the various ‘hang outs’ for burgers
or frozen yogurt.
When walking around I noticed that
the city of Beverly Hills does present a limited social access (in regards to
the geographies of difference) that we discussed in our lecture a few days ago.
It’s quite obvious to see who lives in the city and who is simply visiting the
area, depending on their state of shock and admiration when walking through the
streets. The city doesn’t have any problems with physical access and anyone can
drive or walk right into the heart of Beverly Hills, however once there the
residents make sure that people know that they belong there. Though a small city with a total population of
less than 35,000 Beverly Hills’ residents, visitors and day workers make up quite
a diverse daily population.
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