Tonight Las Vegas, tomorrow L.A.

Late afternoon in Las Vegas, Nevada. Outside, police sirens hunting each other down the streets. Somewhat unreal to be back in a large post-modern city after days out in the wilderness; Sedona, Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. Nilla and I have been travelling on endless roads through fiery-red canyons, taken hikes along waterfalls and eaten some very delicious Mexican seafood. And now, the West and its great cities.

Rediscovering America makes me once again aware of to what extent this is a country of paradoxes. And a country divided in its soul about what its proper aims should be. The progressive idealism, the sense of common purpose and the bold vision of a community beyond ethnicity are all still there. But so are the racial divides, the rampant commercialism and the way too sweet bread. Contradictions.