We're moving to Vauban, Germany!!! (well, maybe)

I don't want to sound as if I am complaining about where we reside but you must always be on the lookout for that next (better) place out there. Los Angeles, with all it's ethnic diversity, it's world-class public library and it's Metro, make for a great contender. But then when you throw in it's notorious smog and the occasional earth-shaking episodes, L.A looses a bit of it's charm. And of course, the worse being that it being such a car-centric society one would be hard pressed to do anything without the almighty car. Also, where there are cars, there are usually cops. And during the last 10 minutes of our last visit I received an unexpected farewell from an LAPD officer who claimed that I “broke the white line of the right-turning lane” when instead of continuing straight on my lane, I moved to the right lane too closed to the intersection. I have a feeling that the area around the airport must be a great place to catch unfamiliar tourists doing things they shouldn't be doing and I happened to be the unlucky one at that time. And it left a bitter taste in my mouth about L.A which makes me question whether I ever want to return again, let alone the thought of ever living anywhere nearby is unfathomable right now.

Yesterday we arrived back in North Carolina for what has become our regular semi-annual visit to the NC coast. It was back here where I started writing this blog during my days of fishing and lounging by the beach. Now it's just for a few days of cleaning and preparing the house for the (hopefully) busy summer season. Still, it reminds me of the wonderful life we had here bicycling mostly everywhere we needed and doing our daily walks right on the beach. Well, not very different from Miami Beach in that sense although this setting is definitely more isolated and peaceful.

Reading today's New York Times (online) I found an interesting article about Vauban, Germany which sounds like the utopia for bicyclist and those like me that have this love-hate relationship with their cars. Vauban has only one street where cars are allowed and the houses and condos have no driveways or parking garages. Parking is allowed in a building on the outskirts of the town where homeowners can purchase a parking spot for $40,000. With all these restrictions, 70% of the residents don't even own a car and 57% of the residents sold a car before moving to the community. Everything in the community is conveniently located within walking distance and cars are not allowed in the central part of the village. As a result, families feel safer when their children play outside, the environment if cleaner and I bet that if we look at this in 5 years, the residents are going to be healthier by being forced to walk and bike to most of their outings. According to the article, some of these bicycle/walking-friendly communities are being planned in locations throughout Europe and even some in the USA. I can't wait to go on my next California round because the article mentions that the Quarry Village community on the outskirts of Oakland, CA is being designed as a car-free community. Wait for my report about it in an upcoming blog.

In the mean time, I'll have to make the best of the bike lanes in Emerald Isle, NC as well as fighting the traffic with my bike in Miami Beach. As to moving to Vauban, Germany, I'll have to see whether they have a thriving latino social enclave and a good Cuban bakery/coffee shop. And if they do, I'll be looking seriously at the possibility of making Vauban our next seasonal migrating spot. I'm not holding my breath.

Since I mentioned my love-hate relationship with the cars, I have to close with the pictures of some neat cars that were in Ocean Drive (South Beach) last week for the closing of the Gumball 3000, which is a “race” of luxury cars from LA to Miami Beach.   The picture above is of South Beach & Biscayne Bay from the air.