Paris bins

Bins in Paris ! A strike of cleaning workers that is lasting for one month and Paris is turned into a giant garbage dump. Since this appalling situation I have new friends quite happy to have a huge banquet. “Do you want a bite?”. “No ! ” I said. Joan would be very angry at me if I swapped my delicate proteined doggy food for a lump of rotten cheese.

Tourists take very unusual photographs of “la ville des lumières”. Parisians has become ratty. They have to be careful not to put their feet in a camembert box or skid on a greasy plastic bag.

PEACE TOWER

With my family we have stopped at an hotel where John Rock and Leslie could have some rest before resuming their investigation. “What investigation ?” said Joan. “We want to find out whether Parisians can speak our langage and whether they are willing to help visitors like us. This is for our travel book, the one that the dog has chewed while he was getting bored when we left him alone in the room”.

From my window still I can see the Eiffel tower. Its strange figure stands out against the sky. It has been decorated with the colour of humanity.

Paris through pandemic

John Rock, Joan and Leslie advised me social distancing, no hug with my dog friends and no sniffing around their intimate parts.

This stay in Paris turns very weird. All the things I liked to do are forbidden. The whole family has new rules. While Leslie is sulking for good reasons now, we can contemplate Paris through a plastic screen (the one you can find in taxis). No visits to Museums, no movies, no restaurants. A new challenge for foreign visitors like us : walk through Paris in a cosmonaut gear…

Pandemic in Paris

Since we are in Paris, it’s the first time  no car, no pedestrians can be seen…

Pandemic has spread in Paris. Parisians stay at home. They are allowed to go out if they own a dog and need to take him out. You know what ? Several neighbours offered to take me out, this is to help they said. I’m fed up going out 4 times a day when I could be lazy and sleep on Leslie lap or in my “Joli Toutou” couch.

Notre-Dame

15th of April 2019. When disaster strikes the most glorious monument of Paris, an appalling view, pain in all hearts. Dismay and sorrow prevail. A large crowd pays tribute to The monument of Paris, world History, love of art, a symbol of peace, humanity greatness. Paris is very sad today.

Baguette

Boulangerie à Paris. Here we are in the heart of French traditional shops. Joan asked Leslie to buy a baguette. We entered the boulangerie, followed by John Rock who still doesn’t say a word in French eventhough it can be a survival matter. So Joan came in followed by our interpretor : Leslie, followed by John Rock (useless) and followed by me (the witty observor). “Je veux du pain” can be translated into ‘I’d like some bread’, ‘I’d like some pain’, ‘I want to test my French’… Leslie was very very worried because “pain” means a big loaf of bread. In fact she wanted a “baguette”. So she said a “baguette s’il vous plaint” instead of “s’il vous plait” – for sure it was the effect of stress and the thought of pronouncing “pain” like a French person. Anyway her painful experience was not  ending since we discovered that there are plenty “baguettes”. The waitress asked “which one ?: Honorine, baguettine, Tradition, de campagne, des près, aux céréales, grand siècle, banette”…

17th arrondissement

 

A dog in Paris – We are in the metro at Porte de Clichy looking for the exit to get to the commissariat (police station). Leslie is really a pain in the neck. She has lost her purse, her scarf, her identity card and my “oh my petit Dior” collar ! It serves her right if nobody can speak english and if we have to turn twice around these new buildings in order to get the  entrance.

No car policy

I’ve met Victor today – a Parisian dog – he worries so much about his master. He told him that from now he isn’t going to take him to the vet by car anymore but in a bike basket. Fines are falling like leaves at autumn. The crop is good for Paris but Parisians wonder how long they are going to afford living in a town where car is prohibited.

Vic says it’s to reduce fumes and improve oxygen rates. But his master is not that young. He would not pass his cycling licence.

Johnny Hallyday

Sainte-Chapelle

The guide says : “Near la Seine banks, next to the Justice Palace stands a gem. When you arrive at the Sainte Chapelle and if you have taken the good decision as to the moment to visit it (best is in the morning and on a sunny day), you are struck by a vision of one of the most beautiful sights of a Parisian monument. The glasses have been taken to Britain during WWII in order to protect them. 1134 scenes from the Bible. A shrine keeps the holy thorn crown. XIIIth century”.

John Rock was actually reading the guide. Joan carried me up the stairs when we left the first level of the chapel to arrive in the 2nd level where we have been dazzled. Dogs place in the Bible is not obvious. I have a mixed feeling about what they had to eat in the XIIIth century. I tried to watch the top of the stairs just to see the surprise on people face when they are discovering the glasses. Oh ! Ah ! Uh ! WHOAA !

Moulin Rouge

I’ve been to the Moulin Rouge for New Year’s eve. Fantastic ! The show of this famous Parisian cabaret is called “Feerie”. Like fairy, fairy queen, fairy Mary… I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the lights, the dancers. John Rock liked the costumes ; he said it was purely aesthetic extasy. I admired all these feathers on the costumes. They all had dinner and a glass of champagne during the show. I had to wait and just think of my special New year ‘paté’ awaiting for me back at the hotel. It’s incredible how brave I am…. But just let’s concentrate on the dancers…

Happy New year from your favourite poodle in Paris !

A dog and family visiting Paris

I’m awaiting for John Rock, Joan and Leslie, their daughter. They have not decided yet where to go. I’m impatient to discover Paris, to put my paws on parisian pebbles and to smell each lamp-post. While they are reading the guide, I stand there on the carpet of the hotel room, rehearsing my first French word  : ” ouah !”

…. in 10 minutes : I’m going to let them know they have to look after me and take me out quickly   : “ouaaaaaahhhhhh !!!…”

Bus tour

All the family decided I would be happy to stop walking and visit Paris in a bus. We found one in Opera Avenue. Leslie carried me to the top level of the double decker vehicle. John Rock and Joan were sitting behind the driver but enventually joined us to have a better view of Paris monuments. They had earphones and selected the english version of Paris history. Not a good exercice for Leslie ! No wonder she does not improve much in French. She concentrated on taking pictures of people sitting at cafes. Le Louvre, Notre Dame, St Michel boulevard, Musee d’Orsay and the wonderful hausmanian architecture. I’ve seen a Parisian cat looking at me in St Germain – behind a window. Aren’t Paris pets so cute !…

Paris catacombs

 

For Halloween, Leslie wanted to go to Paris catacombs that is the largest ossuary of the world. This huge underground cemetery contains 6 millions people stored in rows like good wine bottles. It’s frightening for a young pet like me. And nobody cares if I get lost in the 1,7 km of galleries dug under Paris lamp-posts !

Leslie shouted like mad when she tread on a cable in the dark – she thought it was Quasimodo’s leg or something like that…

Joan bumped into the ceiling in gallery N° 18 and she is good for a bandage as a souvenir of Paris catacombs.

John Rock didn’t pay attention to me when I felt a bit irritated after 2 hours walk in this appalling place. All these bones were starting to make me feel hungry. I’m indulging with black humour – it’s Halloween day !

Bridges of Paris

I’ve been told off ! It’s always the same. Joan said left bank, John Rock said right bank. Leslie had left the guide book at the hotel and all the family was looking for me because I had not understood which bank of la Seine we were going to.

Right bank is more posh and left bank is more romantic as it will well known for its cafés that artists, actors and intellectuals like to visit.

I made the best choice as I was lost in the middle of the most beautiful bridge of Paris : Pont Alexandre III. Lots of sculptures and lampposts as I like them with sweet plumpy angels. “Built in 1900 to celebrate France and Russia friendship” said Leslie, that creep who had rehearsed her lesson on the eve of our trip !…

Anyway, it’s altogether that we’ve taken the way to the Invalids and the Eiffel tower that are nearby. But next time I call the French RSPCA…. It will serve them right !…