Begging Dogs: An Exposé

Remember last week when I fell in love with her?  It seems I fell right into their trap.  Yeah, I'd seen other beggars with dogs (and one guy with a Persian cat.  Props to him!) around Paris, but this little dog seemed singular.  She was on my daily route, out there every morning, noon, and night.  She was special somehow.

And then I started noticing the rest of them.

This guy on Rue de Rivoli.

Farther down on Vielle du Temple.

On Rue des Rosiers.

Another one on Vielle du Temple.



And I discovered they were a network.

The guy on Rosiers often leaves his dog alone while he goes to hang out with another bum/dog operation a block down on Vielle du Temple.  The people at the small grocery on V du Temple near Rue de la Perle seem to keep a good eye on them... maybe they've caused trouble in the past?

And I'm pretty sure I stumbled upon what seemed to be their weekly meeting one evening walking home on V du Temple.  They were all there--the guy who whines "Maaaa-daaaaaam" when you walk by (though he does have the cutest dog), the lady who sometimes outfits her pooch in a coat made of purple terry toweling, the guy who leaves his dog alone on Rosiers, and a few I didn't recognize.  What were they talking about??  Comparing techniques perhaps?  ("Listen Franck, your sign could be more direct.  And we're getting complaints about the whining.")  Sharing dog training tips?

But the worst of it was they had a puppy with them!  Are they breeding these dogs into the life of the streets?!  This poor, waggy puppy had no idea what it was getting itself into with these hoods.  I wanted to go grab him and give him a real life--with me!  Although, now that I'm sure they're just a ring of hustlers avec chiens, I am hoping that they actually have a house to go back to at night and the doggies have a roof over their heads.  Heck, their place is probably bigger than mine!

Oh, and I'm not dropping any more change their way, either.

My Charity Case

I never donate to bums or people begging on the street, but I walk by this little one and her dad at least 4 times a day.  Sometimes she is curled up in a ball, trying to keep warm while she sleeps.  Sometimes she has a jacket on.

I just love her.  I gave them a euro on Friday morning, which is when I took this picture, and it probably won't be the last I give.  I was having fantasies of giving her treats and food and maybe a new coat and could I just take her for a walk maybe??  But I will probably just give her a rub or two and make sure to wash my hands well afterward.

Street Scenes

Not much of an update this week.  I think it's been too cold (again) to want to take my hands out of my mittens to take photos.  I feel like Spring is just around the corner, though, and I'll be skipping through the (dangerously narrow) streets of the Marais, snapping photos again in no time!

It's funny, no?

Melo!  Come back, Melo!

 What a clown mouth!

I am in love with the cut of this polka-dotted top.  The cargo pants, not so much...

Fancy Gilded Things

We went to see True Grit yesterday (which I really, really liked) on a lark while up in the St. Catherine area.  It was our first time at the UGC DeBrouckere, which may be my new favorite theater in Brussels.

(Yes, Brussels... I'm back in Brussels for the weekend.  Also, I just achieved Gold status on the Thalys train thanks to my taking it so much.  What does this "gold status" mean?  Double miles and a concierge service.  Sounds alright to me!)

Anyway, geddaloada this theater, wouldja?

Gorgeous, right???

It was originally the Eldorado Theater, built in 1933, and one of the largest single-screen theaters ever built in Belgium.  It seated nearly 3000 people and even had air conditioning.  The original decorative reliefs on the walls are incredible, inspired by the Belgian Congo (think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...).  The giant movie screen seems to float amidst all the gilded fanciness and glow-lighting.  Swanky.  I felt like I should have been more appropriately dressed.

Of course, I have to give a shout out to another stunner of a theater, the fabulous Fox Theater in St. Lou. "Siamese Byzantine", anyone?

The UGC DeBrouckere may be a real stunner, but there's one thing any midwestern mall Wehrenberg (they of the maybe the best cinema jingle ever) has on it:  fountain soft drinks.  The fizz is strictly bottled here in the EU.  I'm not a soda junkie, but I really miss being able to get a fountain soda at the movies over here.

Lovies

Borrowed from Window Kitties.
Thanks, Biro.

But really, THANKS, Biro.

I can't believe it's actually mine.  I was calculating how if I didn't eat out for a week, I could rationalize buying it... but now I can just hit the sale at Tsumori Chisato before it's over.  heh.
Nothing like reallocating funds (that were never really allocated to begin with).

What an amazing Valentine's present.

xo to you all.

Concept Hotel, Brussels

When Renata invited us to her hotel on the Grand Place, it sounded nice.  Right on the Grand Place, sure thing?  Above the chocolate shop?  That sounds interesting...

We entered the Grand Place and saw them hanging out the window above the chocolate shop.

And then we went up the stairs... into THIS:
(I had to find some pics online because it was too dark for my poor little iPhone.)

With windows onto the Grand Place:

Which looked like this through my crappy iPhone eyes last night:

 But still... rad.




The only downside was that we had to hang out with this little creep...

Boo!

Bruges

After months of futzing (Gent?  Antwerp?  Bruges?  Antwerp?  Antwerp.), we finally made it to Bruges.  I was worried that it was going to be too touristy for my liking, but despite a few sightings of "Tourist Menu" signs, an overabundance of chocolate shops (not complaining, I swear), and some crap gift stores selling questionable tapestries, that little medieval city really charmed me.  We were practically skipping through the streets, in love with the architectural details and quaintness.  It wasn't overrun with tourists, but maybe because it's the off-season.  All I know is, Bruges may become a required day trip for friends visiting Brussels!

Getting oriented.

I want to live here.

There are lots of religious statues built into the buildings.  B said he read something about it once signifying it as being a convent or residence that would take in the poor...  I dunno, you can ask him more about it.

Fancy gilding.

Charming, right?  It probably looks just as it did 600+ years ago!

Pallin' around Bruges.

Stations of the cross.

See, I told you.

Felipe is charming!

Look at the cat statue on top of the eave.

I mean, that's old.

 As if it's not charming enough, there are canals, too.

Window kitty.

Even the gutters are pretty.

We had to try beer brewed in Bruges.  It was delicious... no surprise there.

Boo.

Look at this fancy fellow!

This beautiful building actually housed a Zara store.  Lucky Zara.

Guess they moved.

Creepy chocolate treats.

 There it is!  The tower from the movie.  :)

The ceiling at the entrance to the tower.

B & F marveling.

 B can talk about these shoes for over 10 minutes.  Don't ask him unless you've got some time on your hands.  heh.

Love the two guys at the base of the statue enjoying a Saturday afternoon Jupiler.

My favorite picture from my visit.
Cat butt!






...and cat front.

How cute is that Dumon building?

 Scary fountain guy.

I <3 Bruges.

Unpleasantries at the train station.  This was the "nicest" one.  As an outsider, the animosity between the French and the Flemish is mind-boggling.  Can't we all just get along?