August 11, 2011

• Oh Mon Chien and More Tales of Paris

  Ville de Chien

  I had read that Paris is quite the dog town.  The French love taking their pet pals everywhere and said precious pooches are welcome in all the restaurants and cafes.

  It was not quite the pet population that I expected, but one thing is obvious…Parisian pooches are very very different from their American relatives. It is not the breed, you will find all kind of pedigrees and mixes, as you do here. On leashes, or not. In sweaters, or none. Simply seeing the Parisian pooch could fool you. 

  On first glance, the French “équipe l’meilleur ami” (man’s best friend) looks no different. Non…it is the way the Parisian pet carries him/or her self that sets them apart from their American pet pal.

    

  (Borrowed from Coil Mag, the fabulous Cindy Pea)

  With the exception of the exceptional pet companions in the Marais district. A fashionable and very gay district of Paris. The dog dates here have designer coiffes that had both Ronn and I hanging our heads in shame.

  The Parisian pet walks differently. They carry their little doggy heads high with indifference. Not the aloofness of our feline friend, but with blue blood nobility. They are not being taken for walkies, our Parisian companion pet is accompaning their person for a walk about in the arronidissement. There is a bit of pagentry in their step that is missing from our ball chasing, snack begging Americain counter pets.

  

  A genuine Parisian pooch in the Latin Quarter

  On two occassions I knelt to greet an on coming pet pal on the street. They wagged their tail a little at my bon jour but as soon as they were in close proximity and discovered my American accent…well, they did in fact turn tail and give me the cold shoulder with a Parisian poochy “Phhhtttt” shake of the head.

   

  (Photo borrowed from wedding 2 point 0)

  American Gothic vs European Gothic

  Goth, according to the internet, goes something like this:  Today, “gothic” is used to describe a subculture based largely on a certain style of art, literature, and music. Some forms of gothic art and literature date back to the 12th –15th centuries, however gothic music as we know it today is a relatively new development and is responsible for having the greatest impact on the development of gothic subculture.

   

   (Borrowed from How to be the Coolest Goth website)

  When we think of goth we think of morose kids in black trench coats and white face make up. We think of nine inch nails and absinthe parties in the cemetary with fifteen year olds reading poetries about love and suicide. American Goth kids are a pissed off fashion statement.

  Alright you American gothlettes…take your dark, brooding Cure tune streaming ipods over to France for a tour of Notre Dame.  Catholics understand the suffering of the Gothic. They have since around 440 BC. Romance, suicide, longing? Get your Labrynth watching ass off the couch, quit crying into your cheap whiskey. Read some eleventh century verse, listen to medieval chanting before you launch into your Dead Can Dance lyrics and Hot Topix gift card existance.

      

  REGRET and desire?

  

  SACRIFICE? (this is Joan of Arc)

  
  

  DEATH and LOSS?

     

  This kind of kicks Steam Punks ass, don’t you think?

  

  Oscar Wilde’s grave site

  A dark spiritual journey if ever there was one. An unhappy ending but leaving behind a legacy of classic comedies that made him one of the most succesful playwrites in Victorian London. From a life of pleasure and decadence to imprisonment with hard labor that later led to an early death at the age of 46. He died destitute in Paris.

  I left Paris thinking that suffering is not a skill that we Americans are qualified to whine about.

  Part duex of my birthday vacation in Paris. More to come. Thank you for reading.

  (no insult meant to my steam punk and goth pals…all four and half of them)

   

  • 8:27 pm
  • 19 Comments