My Vietnamese boss long ago told me "Those French gave us heaps for eating dogs. But at least we didn't have sex with them like they did. Go further from the Tourist parts and you'll see that Paris is full of dog poo. Now you know where the Poodle got its name"

Pecca went sniffing in Paris to see if this was true?
He took his clipboard with him and found what appeared to be some nuggets.
He picked them up and said
"Hmm. Feels like poo"
Then he licked them and said
"Hmm. Tastes like poo"
He put them back down and said
"Gee. Lucky I didn't step on them."

greggerypeccary wrote Yesterday at 2:42pm:



Europe has always been full of Gypsies trying to pick pocket you.
Italy is even worse.
You have to be aware of anyone who bumps into you -
often their partner in crime will pick your pockets at the same time.

greggerypeccary wrote Yesterday at 7:04pm:



You should have given him a knuckle sandwich -
although Gypsies carry knives.   

My 2 encounters with Gypsies in Italy.
First was outside colloseum in Rome, they dress like gladiators, coming up to tourists and saying they will take photos of us with the gladiators, he has the (film) camera in hand and after says it’s 10 lire before he hands my camera back, extortion eh?
I saw police arrive and they waved at the police and took off.
Second, my aunt took me to Foggia (about a 5 hour bus trip to middle of high mountain nowhere!) to see where the canonised saint Padre Pio is interned.
Wow the amount of bus loads of people there …
As we walking towards the temple, arrogant gypsies come up to me for money, my elderly aunt tells them to go away and that I’m from Australia … they start arguing with her (I understand Italian) it’s BS as no one other than Italians come here. I decided to talk in Aussie lingo saying yeah mate, I’m from Orstraylia, this is amazing here bigger than our Penguin Parade in Phillip Island!
They shut up and backed away  but the look on Zia’s face of a proud moment was priceless 
(Those Gypsies are young/middle age, able bodied and should get a job instead of hassling visitors)

On a side note, I was surprised how religious Italians were and everyone had a picture of Padre Pio in their home.
Yeah I bought a little fridge magnet.

Sophia wrote Today at 8:11am:


Yeah, I saw those guys everywhere scamming tourists.

Another scam I encountered in Rome was guys handing out flowers.

One approached my cousin and said "Here - a beautiful flower for a beautiful lady".

We politely told him that we didn't want to buy a flower.

He followed us up and down the Spanish Steps for about ten minutes and finally said "The flower is free - no charge for beautiful ladies".

To get rid of him, my cousin accepted the flower.

He then started yelling, saying "These people won't pay me for my flowers - someone call the police".

My cousin threw the flower back in his face and the crowd just laughed at him.

Also, women selling scarves to people eating at tables outside restaurants.

They lay the scarves on the table to display them.

This lets them slip their hands underneath and steal anything on the table that was covered by the scarves.

Horrible people.

Jasin wrote Today at 1:10am:



Gypsies should be beaten to a pulp so
they will never try to steal again.