If we look at his cartoon I generated by AI, we can see that we only see a very small part of a person when we see that person passing by on the street. There are so many things that we don't see: experiences, financial situation, family situation, health condition, career, etc. That is what you see in the text balloons. I try to imagine what the life behind the person in the public passage might be like.
Watching the world pass by is more then just a boring activity, but an intake of the human experience of the way we live.
Just sitting and watching the world go by seems boring, but I find it wildly interesting. This is during my stay in Spain. I do it from time to time. Thinking about who the people behind the public passage might be, checking how they dress and act, wondering how there lives might look like, imagining where they are from or what they do.
I found some old pictures. Below was in Paris, France, near the popular Notre dame. During my solo roundtrip a few years ago.
This one is in Genève, Switzerland. I am taking a break after a long walk. I am watching people pass by along lake Geneva. It is not far away from the united nations office.
Watching people, eating and thinking about life, all while waiting at the airport in Tenerife.
Analyzing stuff
If we look at people’s shoes. Like 90% of the shoes people wear are from the main brands: Nike, adidas, new balance, Skechers, ..
Certain behaviours mark certain personality types. I see doubting people before the restaurant. People are stopping in front of the restaurant, looking a bit around like they are lost, looking at the people already inside the restaurant. They are passing by the restaurant, to come back only like three minutes later, after a u turn walk. They are asking themselves the question: Should I go here, or maybe there, or there? This often marks uncertainty, doubting persons. They’re often more easy to influence. They are not entrepreneurs but have a nine to five job corporate job.
I have an old Pinterest board titled ‘old wise men’. The board is full of pictures of old men sitting along their houses in the sun on a bench. They are just watching the world pass by. Witnessing the passage of time. It’s what I want to do when I manage to retire.
The types of people along the tourist beaches (in Spain)
As I sat down in Southern Spain along the touristy beaches, I saw people that fit most of the times in one of these boxes.
You have the younger snoppy (<35) men that are wearing those fancy watches, black t-shirts of expensive brands (of course it’s fake) and act like they are the king. They are mostly pretending to be a superstar. They act like they like attention.
We also have the old couples. They are British or German, or Dutch speaking, retired persons. They are spending there last times alive and well (before going to a nursing home, unfortunately, but it is reality), escaping the hard and grey lives they had back in there home country. There is a limit to the age of the couples. Once past a certain age or immobility those people do not come anymore. Very few people that are +>75
The solo walking girls. Often times either running or hiking, or otherwise very dressed up. They are very independent girls. They also have a bit of ‘hard to get mentality’. Often times local girls or otherwise richer independent girls from northern Europe.
The small friend groups. Often from northern Europe. Are often times mostly here to party, drink and hope to get laid.
The young couples. The couples without kids are making love, are discussing stuff or are having some dead moments of complete silence.
The young families (mostly only during holiday seasons do) with kids. These are often working middle class people with a buggy, or couples with younger kids enjoying some time off.
The solo traveler. This is me I guess. Wondering around. On direction, yet also seem to the outside world a bit lost.
The second stayers (minority). Often times couples in their 40s/50s. Have the money and work-free days saved up for a second home in Spain. They are here for a few weeks. They may combine it with remote work.
The locals. Living their daily lives. School, work, elderly,…
The solo 30+ year local men, wearing fake fancy watches and shirts. Act like they are Pablo Escobar for some weird reason. You get the feeling like they are pickpockets or that they are in some amateurish mini criminal world.
Each place marks its own unique set of people.