𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐕𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍, 𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐕𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆

                                      

Top: the editor in West Brownsville with his two precocious grandsons, Felix and Jack Barton. Bottom left: Cagayan de Oro's hillside "New Town."  Bottom right: Chiang Mai, Thailand's "Old Town."

Rolling around in my head is the concept of "Old Town," but also "New Town," as realtors push both concepts as desirable.

West Brownsville feels like an “Old Town” to me, wide, quiet streets stretching out beneath old shade trees, older houses with porches, and the comforting absence of noise or rush. There’s space to breathe, both literally and figuratively. You can drive down almost any street and find open driveways, maybe a few children playing in the yard, but no gridlock, no constant stream of parked cars crowding the curbs. The pace is slow, the atmosphere a little nostalgic, as though the neighborhood is holding onto a simpler time.

By contrast, many of Brownsville’s newer developments, filled with first-time home buyers, are dense and brimming with activity. Streets are narrow and lined on both sides with cars, driveways overflowing, and every square foot seemingly occupied. It feels alive but also a bit claustrophobic with the hum of modern suburban life condensed into tight spaces where every neighbor’s routine becomes part of your own. Where West Brownsville offers space and silence, these new neighborhoods trade tranquility for proximity to Sunrise Mall.

I once felt that same fascination for the Philippines' Cagayan de Oro, with its version of “New Town,” built on the hillside developments that rise above the city. There, homes are well-built, but modestly priced, with breezes that sweep away the heat and streets that stay dry even during heavy rains. It felt organized, balanced, the best of modern planning without the excess. There’s something inspiring about seeing a city grow upward and outward with intention, preserving livability while embracing progress.

In contrast, Chiang Mai, Thailand's "Old Town," offers the opposite charm. It’s dense and deeply rooted in history with narrow lanes winding between ancient temples and the air carrying the scent of incense and street food. Every corner seems to tell a story; every turn brings you closer to the city’s past. Unlike Cagayan de Oro’s careful planning, Chiang Mai’s Old Town feels organic, even accidental, shaped by centuries rather than design.