When you first come to Paris, you look up (say it with me: "Wayyyyyy up!"). The Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, La Concorde, the Haussmanian apartments and various other beautiful buildings draw your attention up....but looking down is just as important, as you soon realize.
For some reason, in what is otherwise a glorious city, poop n' scooping is not de rigeur. Garbage is picked up bi-weekly; streets are cleaned daily but poop is simply left by the doggy owners for the uninitated to step in. And there are lots of little doggies: the image of a Frenchman (or woman) carrying a baguette and keeping a frou frou dog is vraiment-too true. But cleaning up after said dogs is simply not done (I saw it done only once in the 3 weeks I have been here). Why is this? The French are supposedly very proud of their city, and rightly so, in every respect but this (I feel a bit like Rick Mercer on a rant here!). Those in the know say it is coming, that a crack down on the offenders - 4 legged and 2- is bound to come, and I can only offer a fervent 'I hope so!', while wiping off my feet.
In the meantime, should you come to Paris (and we hope you do) enjoy looking up....but check down once in awhile too!
That is the one thing that drove me crazy when I was there too. They even had a huge add campaign to try and encourage people to clean up. Natalie told me it doesn't work because the French always do the opposite of what they are told to do. Merde!
ReplyDeleteTres vrai Megan, but I must say it has greatly improved since my first visit in Paris 11 years ago. Wait until the weather hits 30 degrees....the smell.... Good luck !!
ReplyDeleteoh great!
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