Degas - this is a great posting. I think all of us are forced into people watching as we wait at airports these days. Although, I'm sure that's not exactly what you were after. Nor is it my favorite place: I have been known to make the most of it and bring a little sketchbook with me and do gesture studies in the airport lounges.

One place I had never thought of people watching until I experienced it was in the Louvre. The main attraction: find the place where the queue of Mona Lisa veiwing wanna-be's meets the Mona Lisa. This is an amazing place to spend some time standing. Mind you, to do this you do not stand in the queue, but outside the queue. The mix of reactions, flashes, and video cameras is just amazing. I took several photos of the goings-on. Thankfully, if you want to see da Vinci's other works in the Louvre, they are hanging way down the hall from the Mona Lisa and you get a very good view of these paintings close up. It's amazing to watch all these people fight to see the Mona Lisa and walk by so many amazing pieces of art without even glancing at them. hmmm.

I tend to think of people watching as drinking in the rhythms of a place. So, for me, this is to find a spot and watch the day come to life. Examples of some of my favorites: taking a stroll down the Ramblas and watch the mimes put on their make-up; go to the plaza in Santa Fe and watch the Native Americans putting out their wares; Lingering at Machu Picchu to watch tour group after tour group visit key sites, like the Intihuatana and listen to all the various explanations for why Machu Picchu was abandoned and what the various symbols mean.

I suppose Ray and I spend a lot of time people watching and drinking in with all of our senses. Some of it is sitting in cafes, parks, concert halls or museums; some of it is strolling. I don't think people watching necessarily means sitting. This echos what you already said... << Walking around is a good way to see people as well as sights.>>

- Sharon

I am just back from London, and as I am a great believer in "people watching" -I did it again.
As I wanted to do a lot of things on this visit I had to force myself to do it, because I know that I always find a visit so much more interesting when I take my time to look around and "digest" the life in a city.
It gives inspiration for shoping, it lets one get a glimpse of what living where one is traveling is like.
So I look around and try to see more then the sights.
There are always places that are famous for it-go to Harvey Nichols in London to watch all the shoppers; famous people, tourists and locals mix, at the cafe on the fifth floor you can eat and drink and feel like a part of this mixture.
Take the bus, eat lunch in the park or a restaurant visited by locals, go to the late night opening of a museum-this are all places who are great for doing"it"!
Just to take the time to enjoy avery minute of a trip and not just looking for the next thing to do is my secret of getting the feeling for a place-even if that means that I will not see everything on my list.
Traveling is for me also the luxury to take time and not to do as much as possible. So no trip is only remembered as one big rush!