Yes, people have cell phones here. Yes, you can bump into distracted walkers. Sometimes you can even see whole families ignoring each other in a restaurant as you can in the US, but it is rare. Sure some, usually the wealthy, turn over a phone or a video game system to a child to have some peace. However, what I see most is kids playing. Kids really playing as my students did with a single balloon.
Under the fireworks the other night, these boys played with toy cars, vrooming long into the darkness. At the band performance on Sunday, a father played dominoes with his girls. On the steps of the cathedral, people play chess. People blow bubbles. People enjoy their time together.
