[Magdalen] On and On it Goes.

[ME Michaud]

It looks like hell. Hell. Hades.

First, the casinos resemble cruise ships set on end. Entirely
self-contained, few windows. You literally drive in (parking garages on the
lower levels). This makes sense, especially regarding security, but it's
very disorienting.

At street level, it's dirty and, except for shift changes, deserted. A few
chain hotels (I stayed at the Best Western and I was the only woman there
... at breakfast, I learned the hotel was occupied by young construction
workers, about half of them Mexican). The room smelled like bug spray. I
pulled up the mattress to check for bedbugs, set my small suitcase in the
tub. Moved the car to a part of the parking lot I could see from the
window. Made sure the iPhone stayed charged.

A couple of convenience stores, no grocery stores. No actual stores. No
fast food joints except for the periphery. Filthy beach, but maybe they
make an effort to groom it in the summer. The side streets had a few bars
and "gentlemen's clubs" (with suggestive murals on the exterior walls ...
scantiy-clad women riding dolphins). And lots of derelict buildings,
boarded up, waiting for "rehab" or perhaps the unfortunate fire.

So indescribably sad. What a desecration of what was once probably a
beautiful place.
-M


On Thursday, July 7, 2016, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com> wrote:

> But it looks so romantic on Boardwalk Empire!
>
> On Thu, Jul 7, 2016 at 10:37 AM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com
> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > Several years ago I stopped in Atlantic City on my way back from Florida.
> >
> > Figured it would be an interesting place to see, if just that one time.
> It
> > was HORRIBLE. I came away with the sense that if I were writing science
> > fiction (or social criticism) I'd hole up there for the duration.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Scott R. Knitter
> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>