Urban Settings

When I think of urban settings I immediately picture tall and gray buildings, lines of cars honking, people rushing from place to place, and I feel this sense of wonder and awe. I feel this because I think of what it took to make the city, and I think of all of the people who are accustomed to the craziness of city life. The buildings in an urban settings are all fairly similar to each other, and there is only occasionally a building with unique and detailed architecture. Everything in a major city is modernized, and built to maximize efficiency with the limited space available. I hear constant noise from the cars, people walking, and the screech of the train. When I think of the people in an urban setting I picture them as being in a hurry, not very personable, and everyone minding their own business. I cannot picture myself ever living in a larger city, so I am amazed by the people who see the city as part of their every day life. Also, I think of the homeless who live in cities and I get a feeling of sadness for them. I picture these images and feel this way because my mind automatically thinks of walking through the city of Chicago. I also get a slight feeling of anxiety when thinking of an urban setting such as Chicago because at times there are so many people and sounds surrounding you, and it can become a little overwhelming.
When I think of New Orleans, for some reason I get an entirely different picture. I do not immediately picture tall and gray skyscrapers, and instead I picture colorful buildings on either side of the road. I picture the architecture of New Orleans as being much more elaborate and detailed. I think of the St. Louis cemetery and Mardi Gras. I think of the historical significance of the city, and not the people rushing to work or the constant noise. I realize that every major city has historical landmarks and significance, but for some reason I immediately think of the history surrounding New Orleans as one of my first thoughts when thinking of the city. I think of New Orleans being a little less modern than Chicago or New York. Overall, I picture New Orleans as being entirely different from my stereotypical images of a busy and noisy urban setting. I picture the people of New Orleans as being more friendly than the people of a larger urban setting, especially in areas that have more tourists. Speaking of tourists, I picture New Orleans as having more tourists than the city of Chicago or even New York at times. There is so much history in New Orleans that I think many people appreciate and want to see, and it does not hurt that the weather in winter is much better in New Orleans than Chicago or New York. I still picture New Orleans as being crowded with people, but I picture the setting to be more pleasant than that of a larger city.