On descending from La Croix-Rousse, I headed towards a vegan cafe. The online reviews for Zeitgeist Cafe were good. Some people said it could be difficult getting a seat. By the time I got there (after 2pm), the kitchen was closed. The crowds had dissipated.
I ordered an “iced latte with vanilla”, which had some dark specks in it. I didn’t recognise the French word for what these were and the server didn’t know the English word. It looked like cocoa powder. Many people had praised the cheesecake, which I also ordered. I settled down with my laptop until closing time, 6pm. I enjoyed the latte so much I ordered a second one. The cheesecake was delicious!
There was a good relaxing vibe to the cafe and the music was relaxing and at the right volume for me. Shazam said it was Lawli Caffe Moments playing. I added them to my YouTube Music playlist.
Before leaving, I got talking to two women working at the cafe. They heard the mechanical click of my digital camera and asked if I had an analogue camera. It turned out that one of them was a keen user of old cameras. She told me that some young people are returning to technology that had disappeared years ago, such as cameras with film and vinyl albums.
After leaving the cafe, I realised I was near a square I wanted to see. It had the town hall and an art museum.
As I took photos, I saw some women, dressed in black, protesting about what’s happening to Palestinians. One of them caught my eye and came to talk to me. Very soon the limits of my French were clear and she called another person to speak to me in English.
The second woman told me about a group of Israeli women who, in 1987, created the Women in Black movement. It was headed by Hagar Roblev. They followed a routine that was simple to continue in the long run. Every Friday, they gathered at 1pm, dressed in black, on public squares in all major Israeli cities with the same slogan: stop the occupation. This attracted many women, Israeli and Palestinian. The movement spread around the world. I saw the Lyon group, which was established in 2002.
I asked the second woman how hopeful she was for peace in the region. She said that Israeli was becoming increasingly isolated. Even President Trump was not happy with them. She laughed as she said it would be ironic if the movement had to thank Donald Trump for bringing peace to the region.
Having had two iced lattes and a good-sized cheesecake, I wasn’t that hungry. So I bought a baguette de campagne and hummus then walked to the riverside. I joined many others who also decided to have a picnic on this balmy summer evening.
