Mark's Pages

November 13, 2004:

Cigarettes, everywhere.

Some cities smell like diesel: this one smells like nicotine. Sickly thin smoke-trails waft from half the fingers on the streets. Butts on the sidewalks, butts in the planters, butts below the benches.

It's not just the Asians. The mainland tourists are unhealthy. They're fat, sallow-looking. They can't walk, they can't carry their own bags, their skin hangs and is yellowy. They eat the cheapest, most fat-filled food, queued on the sidewalks before Dunkin' Donuts and Porky's Smorgy.

Elderly woman, skinny arms and legs stuck into a bloated torso like pins into a pincushion. Bent. Eyes on the sidewalk. She's on vacation in paradise and she looks miserable. On her t-shirt: "Las Vegas."