I’m starting to think I’ve seen too many European cities lately. I realized today that I may’ve reached a point where I’ve gotta cut back on the Euro-travel, and find other places to go. I’m giving myself the benefit of the doubt, assuming that it’s more a function of work-stress, travel-aggravation, the cold, overcast weather, and general exhaustion, that’s left me walking around this city like a shadow. Or like it’s the shadow.
I try to find little differences in the cities, how this place differs from Stockholm and Copenhagen, Paris and Milan. Unfortunately, the weather’s a big factor in how I perceive this place. Everyone’s bundled, hustling. I can’t tell if that’s just a function of weather, or if there tends to be a lot of hurrying in this city because of its business-status.
I’ve seen more bookstores for children than bookstores for adults, and it makes me wonder if there’s a “child-friendliness” to this city.
Just a word of advice: Never go to an Internet cafe in an Arab quarter, because you don’t want to look over at someone else’s screen and notice that he’s Google-up images of suicide-bomb attacks. I’m just sayin’, is all.
They sell Cherry Coke in these thin, tall cans, like Red Bull. They’re so cute.
There may be an inferiority complex among the bandes desinees sellers, as regards Parisian BD stores.
I’ve been pretty enervated this whole trip, but I had some wonderful moments in the evening. Here are some pix from the day, with a little commentary.
My conference starts tomorrow, so I probably won’t get to write more for a little while.
I’m a Jew, and the holidays don’t mean all that much to me, but I was affected by the sight of the trees, the lights, the soundtrack of gently laughing children, and all the people milling around. It was otherworldly to me.
It made me happy that I came here, despite this burned-out state of mine.