In the city where I lived there was a large river, and canals, dozens of them, maybe hundreds, that spread across it like a checkerboard. If you wanted to send something you could place it on their water and in most cases it would be returned. The inhabitants were colorful, not in character. They were faltering versions of comic book heroes who had lost their way, stuck between the present and a Windows 98 computer game.
They wandered back and forth, and so did the water.
With the help of a telescope it was possible to see neighboring Potsdam. It was possible to see into the windows of the houses. And Potsdam, was as beautiful as Paris.