On another self-guided walking tour, today through the Les Halles area near the center of Paris, I found myself walking down Rue St. Denis. once considered one of the finest looking streets in the city. No longer. The street is lined with what's called rag shops, selling lower-end fashions and as you get closer to Les Halles, you find the sex shops.
The first hint of tawdriness was a sign on a building. The vertical lettering was clear: "Pussy." For fun, there was a little cat head at the bottom.
And standing almost underneat the sign was a woman, who looked like she was at least 55. Her red hair was shoulder length, parted in the middle, and most certainly a wig. She wore a tight-fitting black top, a polka-dot miniskirt, and fishnets.
I passed her and looked to my right where across the street was another working girl, sorry, woman. Just as old as her colleague, this woman was at least 6' tall, wore a black vinyl pantsuit with a red wrap around her. She had several accessories attached, most notably a pair of handcuffs. She stood smoking a cigarette and reading a paper.
I knew I was courting trouble but I wanted a picture of the sign. When I pulled out the camera, the redhead shrieked out: "Non photo!" I said I was just trying to get the sign and she ducked into a door well to avoid getting captured. Her tall friend, now alarmed, seemed like she was going to come after me.
I quickly took the photo, bowed my head to the dominatrix and bid my goodbye.
Sorry mistress.
Other photos from the walk:
Hanging latterns in a very cool passage way with high-end shops.
It's election season ... this is for the leading candidate to replace Chirac.
I think this is a remnant of the old market that used to house Les Halles. Behind it is the Eglise St-Eustache, second largest church in Paris. I'd heard horror stories of the underground mall that replaced the old market and today I experienced it first-hand -- mobs of people crawling over four levels. Not fun.
Outside the church.
Inside the church.
Crushing the head.
