Surprisingly enough... Downtown Bako is actually pretty cool.
Or at least it once was.
Now it's a ghost town, a boarded up wasteland of junkies, drunks and transients. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to take a little walking tour lugging a big digital camera. But there's a lot of potential there, if only the locals realized it. There are a few urban pioneers scattered about, but without a critical mass and some foot traffic it's going to be an uphill struggle.
But never say never. When I was in college in Pasadena, the Old Town area was in far, far worse shape. The city used to have to fence it off, tarp it over, and try and dress it up with bunting for the Rose Parade, lest a national TV audience see how derelict and shabby it really was. But now it's a thriving shopping area and it's bustling every night of the week.
So, you never know. Maybe one day Bako will figure out they have a little unpolished gem downtown.
