Yesterday was the warmest day I've ever experienced in Paris. Since my European travel tends to fall in March or September/October, its always fairly unpredictable how the weather can be - from mild to snowy, but usually on the cool side of pleasant. Yesterday was in the 70's and sunny, and combined with it being a Saturday, it brought everyone out even more than usual. I also managed to connect with my friend Eric who I met here a few years ago but got to know better last year. I had sent him messages that I would be in town but hadn't heard from him, so I had accepted that I wasn't likely to see him this trip; but then yesterday realized I had his number in my phone (doh.) True enough, he hadn't gotten my messages, and with both of us having no plan for the day, we spent it like a Parisian. A couple beers standing on the sidewalk outside a bar, a leisurely meal on a sidewalk cafe, and some ice cream late in the night to cap it off (I of course was confused when he asked me how many perfumes I wanted when translating "parfums" [flavors] - perfumes? um, none, thanks!) And of course, the main "like a Parisian" point is that this all pleasantly and leisurely covered a period of probably six hours. The other distinctly Parisian part (as anyone who's been here knows) is their way of setting up cafes with seats all facing the street. You sit side by side in rows of seats with little tables as an audience to the life passing by on the street as the show. Its intimate and social and adds to the leisurely pace. It couldn't have been a much more pleasant night.