11 December 2011

in america...where i wonder if americans are afraid of light...

...or where are all the big lights?

i've travelled to america quite a few times now over the past couple of years as my partner is working in cape cod, in the north east of america, south of boston.

i can only conclude from staying in hotels and inns (bed and breakfasts to you and me); visiting people's homes; and eating out that americans are frightened of well lit spaces. in hotels and homes there will often be a plethora of lamps dotted around the room but very rarely, especially in hotels, a big light. for all you non-northern types, this means a main, central light in the ceiling whose main purpose is to light up the whole room all at once, fancy that. in restaurants, the lighting is often incredibly low with tiny pools of light from tealights on the table.

i understand the importance of creating ambience and romance and i really don't want to be in rooms or eat out in places that has lighting more suited to a football pitch on a winter's evening but sometimes it can be helpful to actually see the food i'm eating, to read the menu without using a torch app, to get dressed without feeling like the electric is off or to put my make up on somewhere other than the bathroom.
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