The Gathering Places

One of my favorite parts about big-city Europe was how there was always so much living going on in public spaces. If there was a park, there were people in it. The streets were just as busy at night as during the day. Sure, some of them were tourists, but the vast majority were locals doing their normal daily living. Even in parks, where being on the grass was prohibited, people were hanging out in chairs around the lawns or fountains. On one day there was some tennis event in France somewhere, so there it was being broadcast on a big screen in the middle of town and the spot was packed with people meeting up, napping, resting, and watching the tennis match. People in the big cities eat late and out often - there's a reason the "sidewalk cafe" is such an icon of Parisian life, because EVERY restaurant has the cafe spilling onto the sidewalk (Spain too). They take their time. They shop daily or every other day, so people are out shopping after work. Parisians often have baguettes of bread peeking above the edge of brown paper sacks in their arms. Restaurants, sidewalks and pubs spill out people in the city centers. Two of my favorite hours spent during the whole trip were the hours we rested in parks in Paris. Ann said more than once, "Doesn't anyone work in Paris?" They do. Just not when they're in the park!
The Plaza Mayor, Madrid
Pompidou Square, Paris
Us at the Tuilleries Garden, Paris
Las Ramblas, Barcelona
Paris
Basilica of Sacre Coeur
Paris, two blocks from Notre Dame
Luxemburg Gardens
Us trying out....
...what the locals do - and managing quite well, might I add!