Paris

Has the City of Light every failed to entertain? Sitting on the second floor of a cramped french restaurant, sipping Bordeaux and eating veal, it's hard to find any fault at all with Paris. Our dinner companions, a Norwegian/Spanish couple who live down the street, echo the same interest in American politics as many Europeans have: Is Obama going to win? What do you think? Do people hate Bush? Did you know that we hate Bush? Here, let me lecture you again on what Europeans think of America.
Our dinner discussion was entirely by coincidence since the restaurant was too small for seperate tables. The 2nd floor was more of a loft, about 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, with 20 people and waitresses crammed into the space. It was one of the best meals I ever had.
We wandered the streets afterwards, slowly making our way to the Eiffel Tower. The public paris toilet, a crude, box-like structure you can use for free, is a poor substitute for bushes. I realised the toilet closes so it can soak the entire bathroom space with water for cleaning, leaving a wonderful film of scum on the floor and lots of curious things on the wall.
We walked the stretch to the Eiffel tower, coated in blue light and wreathed by the golden stars of the E.U. in celebration of France's six month presidency of the Union. I find it slightly frustrating to only have a point-and-shoot camera, I know too much for my own good and just what I can't do, but my lack of pro equipment on this trip is surprisingly liberating. I spend more time looking than I do shooting, and more time enjoying than working.
After a short metro ride back to our hotel, we drank scotch and smoked cigars in our room, our last night in Paris.