History first - a block from the Green Tortoise Hostel is 'the city light bookstore' which is where the beat poets used to hang out - like Allen Ginsberg & Jack Kerorac. The streets round here are named after these guys. There is also a bar next door to the store dedicated to the beat maestros here called Versuvio- I popped in here, its very quirky and its history is obvious.
Most noticeably, the hostel is in the middle of three streets with tacky looking strip joints... the bling bling red lights, badly named, dark and dirty looking red light district. Not too bad to walk through in the day, but better with mates at night!
Moving on... two blocks toward the sea, there is a very very well off part of town. Beautifully kept homes (the kind that join up to each other – like on full house) with one stand alone house with its matching Mercedes taking in the harbour views... cant imagine how much that baby cost.
Two blocks in the other direction is Chinatown. Street signs in Chinese, Chinese food, Chinese people, shops with fans and swords and herbs and buddahs and laterns – red and gold everywhere... Old men sitting on street corners reading the paper, old ladies conversing at length in their native tounge at the bottom of housing complexes. Old gnarled faces, thick rimmed glasses, shopping carts being tugged along, thick socks with jandals, kids laughing and licking icecrems... its all go!
One block from there, Italian flags on street posts contrast with the beckoning shop signs of Chinatown. Smells and language transform the bright colours and flags to a food-focussed district. Generously spacious cafes with water features and wine bring stillness to the bustle. Old people congregating to talk about old times. Young relaxing with a drink on pavement-side tables.
A park, one block further accommodates every man and his dog (literally!), with different languages spoken, alcohol 'secretly' drunk in public, smells of this and that being smoked wafting, young people laughing, kids playing, soccer balls and frisbees flying, people watching people...
Dogs are everywhere here. Dogs of every size (but mostly little ones) are a feature here. As are men in hats. Hats are cool. Men with hats with dogs – can be very well done ; ) And music - it comes out of everywhere - bars, buskers, people hanging in the park, shops... its all around!
Night-time transforms all this into overflowing outside dining, street people coma-ed out in alleys, the beckoning of lusty night-time lights, the muttering and stuttering odd-folk, the quiet drinkers, the raw night time deals that darkness brings, dancing to tasteful music... anything from 'life as usual' to a 'fabulous new experience' (that I was having).All within a stones-throw of my hostel...
