While in Texas, I managed to find a companion who has been both a professional and a battery, like myself. Eduardo García García is a fully licensed architect from Mexico who visited the United States to begin a tour of twentieth century architecture. We found that our paths of architecture, urban planning, and community engagement worked well together, and sure enough, we converged. Every now and then, we plan to check in with observations about how architecture has affected a space or vice versa. For more information about Eduardo García García, please follow him on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram–and yes, he is responsible for a lot of the photos in the videos.
London Arrival and First Site Visit: Most people spend a lot of time both in tourist areas or in luxury sites in other countries. My main purpose has been to see if the areas with “bad” reputations were actually just areas with non-white people. I would prefer not to be right, but unfortunately, that is how propaganda works. We stayed in West Croydon–a borough of London–and the conditions were perfect to both explore London and rest after a long day.
Blackness in Public and Powerstation Refurbishing: Architecture is not always a pretty story, nor are the results of the creation of those public spaces. The Barbican may be a pillar of the architectural community, but it comes with some nasty history. Refurbishing architecture may preserve some history, but it can also create false narratives that people should take time to reconsider. A special thanks to Eduardo García García for the display pictures from the Barbican.
The Nightmare Crossing the English Channel: Even knowing that Brexit had been finalized, we were unsure of what to expect. We probably should have been more prepared based on landing in London Heathrow and seeing which travelers would have an easy time. However, traveling from the United Kingdom to the European Union–while still wildly popular–was one of the most stressful days that we experienced on this scouting trip.
What History Gets Promoted: Paris gets a really strong reputation for talking about history and is seen as a beacon for preservation. However, what history constantly comes to mind when thinking of Paris? Tourist trappings aside, there are glimpses of the mask of imperialism in the City of Lights.
Close to the Border: The closer one is to the border of the United States, the more obvious it is to see that trying to imitate imperial life is a call to disaster. We traced back to when we stepped into Monterrey after riding down from Texas, and how it feels to return to a place after being gone. It is interesting to see how “looking good” can corrupt a place where people have a longer history.
Brussells for the People: Most people would consider cities that offer tourism to be easy to navigate, and that is generally true. However, Brussells offered a city that makes sense largely to the people who live there, and no one else. With enough time, Brussells seems less intimidating, but in the span of one week, this city would be a difficult place to learn.
Enschede Eeriness: It feels odd saying that there is implicit control in a space known for being so open, but at the same time, that is how empires are formed. Being in the Netherlands felt interesting because it is a country that people rave about, but also uncomfortable because it seems that behavioral expectations are “understood.” In truth, it is a dead empire, and it was the foundation of the Dutch East India Trading Company, as well as the imperial force that took over South Africa. It was pleasant to be there, but it was not at the top of my list of places where I want to return.
Why People Support Imperialism: People spend a lot of time badmouthing empires, but it is important to remember one thing: all empires began with people who chose to imbue power on certain individuals. Whether for convenience or to look good in front of other communities, no empire is formed without massive consent. In this episode, we discuss how enticing it is to be controlled by others, even when we see the flaws.
Berlin, Berlin: Getting to this city was stressful, but being there was surprisingly relaxing. Starting off in a public park and getting through to finish at the Mexican embassy was a wonderful experience. It was very easy to add sites to Eduardo’s list because we were constantly curious about communities, building and people.
Farewell, Berlin: While we wish we had spent time in Frankfurt, Berlin made us miss Germany the second we started to leave. Multiple governments in one location, and so much history. Understanding how empires fall is important, but it is equally important to consider what lies on the other side.
Chasing A Dying Empire 