Paris--Public Urination and SMOKING
May 9th, 2005, 03:17 PM
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Paris--Public Urination and SMOKING
Just arrived back from a weeks trip to Paris, France. With all the previous posts about public urination, I have to say I'm a little disappointed to report I saw none. Where have people witnessed this? and who was the culprit--business men or the homeless? Maybe I just was in bed too early; I tended to be asleep by 10 or 11 pm.
I was last in France in 1999 and remembered always seeming to be in a cloud of cigarette smoke: train/metro stations, restaurants, the time the only seats left on a TGV were in a smoking car(THAT was bad). It seemed to be a bit better now though--no smoking on TGV trains. Restaurants still seemed a little smokey, but I tended to eat early, so it wasn't so bad. What have others experienced with SMOKING IN FRANCE THESE DAYS?
I was last in France in 1999 and remembered always seeming to be in a cloud of cigarette smoke: train/metro stations, restaurants, the time the only seats left on a TGV were in a smoking car(THAT was bad). It seemed to be a bit better now though--no smoking on TGV trains. Restaurants still seemed a little smokey, but I tended to eat early, so it wasn't so bad. What have others experienced with SMOKING IN FRANCE THESE DAYS?
May 9th, 2005, 05:44 PM
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I saw the public pee-ers (both male) at the gardens near St. Eustache church, and right on the street at the Place de la Bastille. The latter gentleman had a most impressive arc. I think he was drunk. Neither looked like distinguished businessmen, but both were middle-aged.
May 9th, 2005, 05:49 PM
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We saw a few pee-ers when we were there in January. I couldn't tell if they were businessmen, homeless, or tourists because I didn't look at them long enough. It's funny how they sorta hide in the corner, then look around while they're doing it. Do they really think they are being discreet?
BTW, universitylad, did you put on your PJ's on the flight home? That was a great thread.
BTW, universitylad, did you put on your PJ's on the flight home? That was a great thread.
May 9th, 2005, 06:00 PM
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Did you notice others wearing similar clothes/pjs?
I saw a couple of girls this past weekend, walking around town in tee shirts and pajama pants..all the were missing were the teddy bears
Did you have a grand time in Paris, lad?
I saw a couple of girls this past weekend, walking around town in tee shirts and pajama pants..all the were missing were the teddy bears
Did you have a grand time in Paris, lad?
May 9th, 2005, 06:02 PM
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Hi universitylad! Glad you had a good trip to Paris. When I was there in January with fellow friend and Fodorite Marcy, we ran into a few really smoky resdtaurants. One of them was a cafe/bistro that we wanted to eat lunch at, but decided not to. Too stinky.
Last fall I was in Paris with my husband and we met up with IndyTravel, who was on his way to Greece (another poster who is a neighbor of ours). We were walking by a church--St. Severin, I think--and Indy pointed out these little metal wedges that were bridged onto the inside corners of the church building. He said their function was to discourage public urination to all, save those who liked to get splashed.
Last fall I was in Paris with my husband and we met up with IndyTravel, who was on his way to Greece (another poster who is a neighbor of ours). We were walking by a church--St. Severin, I think--and Indy pointed out these little metal wedges that were bridged onto the inside corners of the church building. He said their function was to discourage public urination to all, save those who liked to get splashed.
May 9th, 2005, 06:47 PM
#14
A walk around the Latin Quarter toward the market at Place Monge on a Sunday morning revealed lots of signs of Saturday night activity running down the sidewalks. Have to assume that the people responsible were sleeping it off by the time we walked by, so we didn't witness the activity first hand. As it were.
And why doesn't it surprise me that Indytravel knew the function of those little metal wedges?
And why doesn't it surprise me that Indytravel knew the function of those little metal wedges?
May 11th, 2005, 07:44 AM
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In 20 days the only public pee-er we saw was a late afternoon construction worker at St. Jean Cap Ferrat. He was far off in a corner and we just happened to see him from a 3rd floor window.
Our only 'ugly Americans' were the lady in baggy sweats who informed a waiter in an outdoor seating area (loudly) to not seat her near any smokers.
Re: those metal corners. After walking smartly into one of those 3' high chopped off parking meter looking things in Rue Danube, I have to ask, what are they? To keep cars off the sidewalk? Every town had them and some were only 3" high bumps so I had to relearn to navigate every day.
Our only 'ugly Americans' were the lady in baggy sweats who informed a waiter in an outdoor seating area (loudly) to not seat her near any smokers.
Re: those metal corners. After walking smartly into one of those 3' high chopped off parking meter looking things in Rue Danube, I have to ask, what are they? To keep cars off the sidewalk? Every town had them and some were only 3" high bumps so I had to relearn to navigate every day.
