Riding the Gold Dillo home from my morning Japanese class seems fitting, evoking the spirit and rhythm of Japan. In the US I’ve lived only in southwestern cities that were built mostly after the introduction of the automobile, places where public transportation is almost non-existent and carries the stigma of poverty, places which are not designed for walking. I could walk home from my class and hope to when the temperatures drop out of the 90s. But now I’m taking the bus and enjoying it immensely. I like looking out the window, thinking about my class, discovering new things I don’t usually see when I drive down these same streets because I’m too busy driving defensively (using the strategy that the best defense is a good offense). I look out the window and marvel at the beauty of downtown and Town Lake. When you’re not in a hurry to be anywhere, taking the bus is like being on vacation, a little sightseeing trip.