Musings from an overworked translator

“Coffee to go” July 16, 2008

There’s a very disturbing article about how European cafés are disappearing as Europeans are adapting to American trends in this week’s edition of the Expatica Germany newsletter. For those who are unfamiliar with it, Expatica is Europe’s leading lifestyle portal for internationals living abroad and they break the site down into the various countries with lots of country-specific tips about living abroad, numerous resources, information on expat life, etc.

“Coffee to go” the cry as Europe adapts to American trends reports that “the times when people would spend hours reading newspapers or indulge in deep conservation in Berlin while sipping endless coffees is somewhat seldom nowadays, partly due to faster-paced life trends, and soaring cafe rents.” It then goes on to discuss how Starbucks and coffee bars are replacing older, more relaxed coffee houses in many European capitals.

I find this trend sad, because I enjoyed many hours drinking coffee (ah, the simple pleasure of a Milchkaffee…) and enjoying homemade Kuchen or a nice brunch at cafés like Café Sacher in Vienna, Café Tomaselli in Salzburg, and my favorite café in Bonn – Bonngout. I’m sure cafés won’t totally disappear, but I find it very sad that Europeans are giving in to the American fast-paced life. That was one of the things I enjoyed most about living in Europe – things were more relaxed and slow-paced.