28. Peaches

I've jokingly recounted that I ate more peaches on this trip than I had in my entire life previously. Now this is probably untrue, and virtually unprovable. Unless we go to my mother and ask just how often she bought the little Gerber peach mush, or added slices of the fruit to my Rice Krispies. I do realize that peaches aren't really "European". In fact, the day after I returned to America I had a peach and remarked, "Damn, this is twice as good as the best one I had over there." But they were excellent, healthy snacks for an on-the-go-hungry-man-about-town so I scooped them up by the kilo. Or perhaps I had an inkling that a certain vivacious character would be nicknamed after them. A Season For Peaches indeed.

29. The Latin Quarter

Paris' 5th arrondissement is known as the Latin Quarter because the language was spoken there first during Roman colonial times and later by the studious attendees of the Sorbonne. These students can be seen at the seemingly endless array of bistros, cafes, and bars that line the mostly pedestrian streets. It literally took us over an hour to pick a restaurant (to eat the aforementioned #47 escargot) since there were so many. An interesting characteristic of the area is that while it is busy during the day, the number of people seem to multiply at night, giving the district the feel of a vibrant, never ending party.

The quarter (incl. Pantheon) as seen from Notre Dame

Rue Mouffetard, where we stayed

Daytime hustle and bustle

Night time, hustle and perhaps more bustle?