nabeepchen

I should say, Wilma’s mild side. There are places in Florida that look a lot worse, but still, the is the worst that I have ever seen the area where I am currently located.

If you have been following my travels, then you know that I was at a medical conference in California, and mildly pissed off at the Hilton for trying to squeeze and scrimp every last penny out of paying guests. And charging for Internet service which was haphazardly delivered. But now I am in Florida, in Boca Raton to be exact. And I almost forgot all about the hurricane, despite the fact that my parents were without power for 9 days.

It looks a lot better than it did, I am told. The main roads and streets are no longer blocked by trees and debris, but it certainly looks odd to see trees stripped clean of their leaves here in Florida. Alongside the roads, trees are uprooted everywhere, and the ones that are still standing are brown and lifeless looking. They look like they’ve had a major haircut.

There are still traffic lights without power, street signs bent and upside down, and some storm damage apparent on homes. In my parents huge mega-condo development, a few apartments were damaged, but all in all, the damage (other than no power for 9 days) was primarily on the grounds.

Looking at this damage, I can’t even imagine what Biloxi and Gulfport look like, after being a direct hit by Katrina. I can’t imagine what Bhagdad must look like, or Chechnya, after years of war. I can’t imagine what Aceh province must look like, after the tsunami ravaged the landscape.

What I’m seeing here is just a glimpse. Just a tiny peek at what both nature and humans are capable of–the immense power of destruction that we both have at our disposal.