Spring, 1958: European Way of Living

Anais Nin has a "romantic fantasy of becoming a roving editor," makes arrangements with magazines to do articles on the Brussels World's Fair, then makes plans to get to Europe. She contrasts Europe with America; in Europe, there is a human scale with small cafes and restaurants, small theatres, small train stations, small streets. People have intimate conversations about their dreams and ideas instead of gossip, politics, business, crime, and exploring empty planets. In Europe, everyone knows the meaning of his life and lives for spiritual values; they are all artists at heart and care more about books and paintings and music than they do about the economy and the affairs movie stars are having. They talk deeply, personally, passionately. People take time to sit in cafes and talk and dream. Billboards are absent, and gas stations are hidden away.