Here is a photo I've been dying to take for a long time, but I never dared digging out my camera in front of one of these guys. "These guys" are more or less illegal immigrants, all part of a "business gang" that sells water or miniature Eiffel Towers to tourists. According to an article I found on the web, they make about 400 € a month on average, which is not much. Needless to say they are pretty camera shy as their business is not exactly appreciated by legal shopkeepers, nor the Police... I personnaly would not buy water from them, not because they are illegal, but because I'd be afraid of what is really into the bottle! Did you ever try?
Yeah, I probably wouldn't buy from them either. Did you ask him if you could take the shot, or did you sneak it right under his nose?
ReplyDeleteHi Alexa!
ReplyDeleteGreat shot -- the first thing that came to my mind was, "it's probably water out of the tap."
What would it be if it wasn't water? Just curious...probably wouldn't buy any either--I usually carry water with me wherever I go in my green water bottle.
ReplyDeleteWe bought the water right outside the Louvre. The cap was sealed, thought nothing of it, and all was fine! (Paid 6 Euros in Rome for water, so thought this was a deal!)
ReplyDeleteActually didn't know it was illegal, I just thought it was convenient! Silly American!
Mammie
Erik, I once bought from them two "aquarel" pictures of Paris for after long and effective barganing 15 euro per two. But, then on a corner shop I saw the same pics for 2 euro for one. They were printed and even had a small typography address on the downcorner. It was my first turistic fault:))). And in Washington DC you can find these guys on all turistic spots selling a bottle for 1 dollar.
ReplyDeleteI, too, worry that the bottles will be opened already and filled with...the Seine? But, if it's sealed, you're ok, as long as it's a recognizable brand. When you think about it, one euro for a bottle of water when you're walking and hot: not a bad deal.
ReplyDelete(Big bad computer problems all weekend, now both work and I don't know if I fixed them or the Microgods just got their sh.. together.)
... and plastic bottles may leach chemicals and pollute the environment!http://unbottledwater.blogspot.com/
ReplyDelete@Alexa. No I did not ask... I walked by him and pull the trigger several times in a nonchalant way, pretending to look at the beauty of Paris!!
ReplyDelete;-)
I was in Paris in late June. It was really hot, and doing all those touristy things, with lots of walking out in the open, I couldn't carry enough water to last the day, so I actually bought several of these water bottles. It was always cold and generally a great relief. All the bottles I bought had an intact seal.
ReplyDeleteI have the same experience as Louise and I think it's good oppurtunity to buy water for 1 euro if it's so hot and you're a tourist.
ReplyDeleteI checked myself a few times; they are sealed and ok - and considering prices for bottled water at touristic spots, it's a good deal!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the interesting article (link); of course, we feel for the poor vendors, but we feel too for the shop keepers with their atrocious rents...
My tourist friends often come back and 'brag' with their deals (ET, water), they do however tend to get ripped off in the coffee shops around the touristy areas....
I think the most expensive one came from French spoken friends who paid €13.- for a cappuccino! (Don0t drink cappuccino in Paris, it's so not French).... So a subtle 'égalité' establishes itself over the course of time!
@Michael Blamey:
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right of course!
Another prob is that bottled water - left in the daylight and sunshine - is quickly getting nearly poisonous... but in general they don't lie about for a long time.
I tend to refill my small bottles until I can't take it any longer - I guess the accumulated bacteria from myself and often from my husband (we both drink lots of water when about), is more dangerous for our health than the damage coming from inside the bought bottles! But well, we'll all have to die sooner or later :)
Hi Eric, I'm back online! Which is one of the first sites I visit? Yours, of course! hehe. Love the way you surreptitiously took the shot! :)
ReplyDeleteHere in Barcelona is similar. Water and beer 1 euro. The crisis !!
ReplyDeleteRegards
Valery
[Barcelona Daily Photo]
Good for you, Eric! A few years ago, I was in Paris in July and it was so hot. We desperately wanted water at the Trocadero, but could only find vendors selling small bottles for 5 or 6 euros! So we walked a couple of blocks to a grocery store and got a BIG bottle for 2 euros. (Here, they sell bottles like this on the Brooklyn Bridge for $1.)
ReplyDeleteI like to read the blog to discover places and see nice photos. But I'm sorry to say this is the most stupid post I ever read. What do you expect to find in bottle of water?
ReplyDeleteThis year I also bought a bottle of water from "these guys" before I went on a cruise on Seine.
ReplyDeleteIt was hot, I was tired and thirsty, just finished my bottle of Evian, so...
Of course I checked if the cap is sealed :) Their water was cold, cheap and brand new !
I don't understand how they can stay in business. There are police all over around the E.T. and never once in two years did I see them being driven away. It would be an easy task to accomplish. Why does it go on?
ReplyDeleteHow much is it sold for in the shops?
ReplyDeleteI bought one, once, and it was sealed and seemed fine. Saved me from a major dehydration headache! :-D
ReplyDeleteNice to see you again. Sure you won't mind a small water diet ;-).
ReplyDeleteThis is true that the police seems more or less indulgent with these guys. Good for them the Police let it be cool...
I don't think there is anything really bad with them. The bottles are probably not filled with the Seine or with any secret code that would attempt against our security Lol!! Who knows?!
These guys are great, I buy off them all the time. The business seems to be dominated by Indians. I've seen them many times in Monoprix filling up trolleys with water. The water costs 16c in Monoprix and they sell it iced for €1
ReplyDeleteI was in Kitty O'Sheas the other day and a woman walked in looking for some water for her son, the bartender opened a bottle (33cl) and poured it in a plastic glass, cost €4.50.
And to think the guy selling it for €1 is illegal?
Never bought the water, but I did buy the Eiffel Tower key chains...I think 5 for 1 or 2 euro.
ReplyDeleteI don't dislike it when we disagree about something ;-)
ReplyDelete"These guys" also sell roses in bars. When I am working I always try to make their night nicer and give them a coffee (or a beer, but shh!) when they stop by the pub.
ReplyDeleteI really get along with one of "these guys", Ahmed who's from Pakistan, and I swear when he tells me that he sells only 5 roses per night sometimes, that breaks my heart.
I would buy water from "these guys", I know I shouldn't because after all it's illegal and by doing that I encourage them to keep selling stuff in the streets.
I know for a fact that the water is real water since I already drank from their bottles. This is their bread and butter, I don't think they would try to ruin their business by lying to the "customer".
That works for Paris, but I wouldn't buy bottles in the streets everywhere. I watched "Slumdog Millionaire" and saw the trick of some of the kids and freaked out: they make the plastic of the top melt and re-sceal it to the body so then can use tap water!
I agree that disagreeing is not disagreeable. Unles it's unlikable, which is unlikely, like it or not.
ReplyDeleteAnd, as Groucho said: Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
Was walking on Ile Saint-Louis the other day about 7pm and spotted a bucket of this water stashed in one of the hedges! I imagine it got to heavy for the vendor to cart home at the end of the day..
ReplyDeleteNo, but I bought the miniature Eiffel towers! :)
ReplyDeleteit's more expensive than in stores, but it's absolutely fine, no need to make a fuss about bottled water from immigrants
ReplyDelete