I've put my pillow on the opposite side of the bed, so my head is right next to the window, which I leave open most nights. Waking up with the sun in your face is the only way to wake up, I have found.

Unless you beat the sun, in which case proving that European residency is not necessary for morning bakery visits becomes of specific and special importance.

So that is what I did. A friend and I consumed a chocolate croissant, hazelnut croissant, hot cross bun and apple flaky something and shared a cup of coffee. Decadence. But pastries should certainly not become the focal point here.

A local park soon became host to our morning escapade. We kicked around an abandoned soccer ball we found sitting at lonely quarter field of a soccer green. Later, with the aid of a homemade quilt and a guitar, a playground found a new use as private auditorium where we played and sang an assortment of Simon and Garfunkel/Elliott Smith/ Etc. tunes i.e. spaced out and stared at the sky, serenading all the dog walkers lucky enough to be dog walking past.

Babe on VHS, the end.