The corners of the restaurant keep time through newspapers
In the morning in Paris (France), the sound of a cup of coffee, the fragrant Croissant fragrance, the sound of the newspaper is evenly overturned, the fun conversations are suggestive sounds, awakening the spirit at the beginning of the day. In crowded coffee shops on Rue des Martyrs or on Saint-Germain Boulevard, where tourists still say that if they want a great culinary, cultural, "French" cultural experience, they have to come here, printed newspapers are still available every morning: Le Monde, L'equipe, LE FIGARO ...
Newspapers are present in a cup of coffee, as an indispensable part of enjoying a morning in Paris. Here, paper newspapers are no longer a source of quick information but a habit, a way of life, a way to receive information selectively and quietly. Parishians do not read newspapers to grasp the trend - they read it as a slow-moving gesture that has become a habit in crowded streets.
Ms. Dorie Greenspan, an American writer and chef who has lived in France for many years and is passionate about French cuisine, in her personal blog post shared that she will start her day by going to a coffee shop because the restaurant atmosphere gives her more inspiration for her writing work. Thanks to this habit, she saw how Parisian people are attached to their familiar cafes. At the de Flore classic space cafe - famous for being a regular destination for artists - "a businessman said he goes to the cafe all the time, in the morning to eat breakfast and read newspapers, in the afternoon to drink coffee and occasionally have dinner, he considers it his family living room" - Dorie Greenspan said.
Another iconic address that cannot be ignored is Les Deux Magots. The wall of the shop is filled with black and white photos of great writers and poets who once visited and drank coffee such as: Ernest Hemingway, French poet Guillaume Apollinaire; Argentine writer Jorge-Luis Borges; Pablo Barcelona painting with his talented and beautiful poetrywoman Dora Maar, or the author Antoine de Saint-Exupery of the book "Little Prince", one of the most beloved and translated works in the world.
According to a Paris Edith de Belleville tour guide, at Les Deux Magots, you are not encouraged to stick your eyes on your phone's screen, instead read newspapers or discuss philosophical stories with your companions to depict the style of a truly intellectual Paris person.
The same story also appeared in Vienna ( Austria) - where coffee and paper newspapers are an inseparable part of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage. Central Coffee, Hawelka or many other coffee shops in Vienna all have wooden newspaper hangers with all kinds of printed newspapers. Entering a coffee shop in the Austrian capital, you will be lost in a world of separation with traditional, luxurious spaces and electronic music. Order a cup of coffee to sipping while reading the newspaper to experience the typical spiritual life of the people here.
Tokyo has a different, bustling, modern style, but there are still quiet "oases" like the traditional kissaten cafe in the Daikanyama area. There, Asahi Shimbun is placed neatly next to the old book. The appeal of kissaten coffee shops is that they are like a small corner, a quiet space for each person. In a cup of coffee, you can comfortably enjoy the time you like. Chie, owner of the Sabour coffee shop in Jinbocho, Tokyo, said: "As long as customers don't bother others, they can freely use their time as they like. People come to kissaten coffee for many different reasons, usually to read newspapers and magazines, or simply to chat with friends.
Whether it is Paris, Vienna or Tokyo, print newspapers are still present in life not thanks to their updating, but thanks to their ability to create an inner space - where people temporarily withdraw from the digital world to return to themselves.
The story of the last newspaper seller
Recently, the story of Pakistan's last newspaper seller in Paris has caused a stir in the French press - not because of the shock news, but because of a rare warm emotion in modern times.
For the past half century, Mr. Ali has been selling newspapers every day, regardless of rain or shine. Image of a man holding a newspaper in his hand with the typical shout "Ca y Est!" The echoes of small, paved streets have become familiar to most people. Thanks to his perseverance and sense of humor, Ali has become "a part of Parisian culture," said David- Herve Boutin, an artistic businessman.
Most recently, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to award the Cameroun Medal - a worthy award - to Mr. Ali Akbar.
With his vitality at the age of 72, he travels tens of thousands of miles a day, selling Le Monde, Les Echos and other newspapers from around noon to midnight. Regardless of digital information, Mr. Ali becomes a connector for everyone through newspapers.
The Saint - Germain area is a gathering place for intellectuals, actors and politicians, and he has been in contact with many influential figures. From Francois Mitterrand to Bill Clinton, and from actress and singer Jane Birkin to writer Bernard-Henri levy, he has met everyone and always maintained a modest and polite demeanor. The habit of reading newspapers is still deeply ingrained in the French's lifestyle, so he can still make a living from the profession.
Small stories make people realize: Journalism does not only live by news but also by emotions, by connecting people with people.
In the space of the coffee shop - where time is stretched by the sound of light music and the aroma of fragrant coffee - the paper newspaper plays the role of an old friend. Not noisy or noisy but only quietly telling stories, news, slicing through life, written with intelligence and passion for readers.
In Vietnam, Lao Dong Newspaper printed each page by hand, distributing it to workers in the mine area, factory, plowers, printing workers... during the arduous years of the resistance war. It is not only a press product - but a breath of life, a connection between ideals and action, between honest workers and the times. More than 90 years later, despite changing times, print newspapers are still present in the early mornings of the day: On the desks of offices, offices, at libraries, hospital corridors, or in the corner of a small coffee shop on the roadside - where middle-aged people leisurely turn every page of the newspaper, sipping coffee while watching the flow of life.
paper newspapers may no longer update news as quickly as possible, but it is still a useful means to help people select information, to " read" with both attention and emotion. That is where the words retain their weight, where the news is associated with the depth of reflection.
If one day, you step into a coffee shop - in Saigon, Da Lat or Hanoi - and see a paper newspaper lying quietly on a table or in the hand of a customer, it is not only a beautiful slice of urban life, but also a testament to a simple thing: Print newspapers are still alive - as an irreplaceable part of modern life.
