After a week and a half in Paris, I have two observations about the cafes there.

Thing 1: Many of them have outdoor seating, and most of that seating faces the sidewalk.

Thing 2: When you order coffee, you get espresso.

On the first point, initially I thought it was odd. Diners sit next to each other, table between them, watching the pedestrians go by. I quickly came to appreciate it. I’m an unabashed people watcher, and Paris has a wild assortment of humanity to watch. The simple act of changing chair orientation also had the effect (for me, anyway) of changing the dining experience. When two diners face each other, a natural capsule forms between them. Sitting next to each other and facing the street, that capsule felt no less strong. Yet it also now included a whole world of other diners and passers-by.

On the second point, drip coffee appears to be a rarity. I think I only saw one coffee maker - the one in our rental apartment. I love coffee in all forms and concentrations, but Paris gave me renewed affection for espresso. Even the quick crepe stops - places where you might expect an inferior shot - did it justice. I savored every demitasse, especially since a single shot cost 3 euro, or about $4.50.

About a week after returning the the States I had a chance to go to Caribou, one of my favorite java haunts. Guess what I ordered? After I got my drink, a double shot for under $2 (Go U.S.A.!), I strolled to the outdoor seating. With my chair facing the sidewalk, I sat and whittled away at a stack of library books. Between chapters, I’d take a sip and watch the world go by.

If we didn’t have work, we wouldn’t appreciate vacations. Sounds like a crock of ish, but I mutter this to myself on the way in to work today after two weeks off.

They were two fantastic weeks. Much of it was spent in Paris with the Divine Mrs. V, both of us walking holes in our shoes. We must’ve pounded the cobblestones for 30 miles each, at least, over the course of the trip. (Though the French would measure it as just over 48 kilometers.) In addition we ate well, drank well and cultured ourselves to a sharp point.

Click to my Facebook gallery for photos. I posted a bunch. I’ll post photos here, too, along with more reflections and impressions. Soonish.