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This is how I feel every day in Germany

This city of Munich is beautiful. The upkeep is remarkable, the overall effort the city exerts to make sure it stays beautiful is really worth a tip of the hat. Sometimes, when I miss a tram, and have to wait up to two minutes for the next one, some street cleaning crews will stroll by, powerwashing the sidewalk, even though they just did it on Tuesday.

No matter how many times I walk down a certain street in the city, I can always expect to see new planters and sculptures and fountains being set up—maybe winter is the time for additions to be unveiled in spring.

Today I saw an article in The Onion about Opposite World, namely America.

Nation’s Crumbling Infrastructure Probably Some Sort Of Metaphor

The tragic Minneapolis bridge collapse that left 13 dead this August brought national attention to the country’s crumbling infrastructure, forcing many to question whether the nation’s rapidly deteriorating roads, contaminated drinking water and groundwater, and run-down schools could perhaps be a metaphor for something.

[…]

“I think our overstretched and increasingly obsolete infrastructure might symbolize something important,” Perry added. “But what?”

Hooboy. That is pretty well said.

I’ll be heading to Berlin this weekend, enjoying the meticulous smoothness of the autobahn on the way. At least once there, Berlin’s drab former Soviet Bloc countenance will remind me of home in a gently depressing way, conjuring up mute thoughts of empires lying in ruin.