This town never ceases to amaze me: at the local Christmas market in front of the elegant Antwerp Hilton one stall is actually selling these huge, freshly cooked, but oh so smelly bones. Are there really dog owners around who are into ‘Let’s buy Rocky one of these offensively malodorous parts of a lamb, he just loves Christmas too”? Anyway, their neighboring (”Fine quality French specialty food”) vendors were not amused. Even more disconcerting: although this peaceful midday shot would make you believe otherwise, the Antwerp open air Christmas ice-skating ring has turned into an area with rampant alcohol abuse. Yesterday a 14 yo girl was rushed to hospital after overdosing on “seasonal” alcohol. The area is completely packed around midnight, with not only traditional Glühwein, but virtually any cocktail imaginable on sale, as long as you’re 16 (or at least appear to be). In spite of the presence of a permanent police patrol, fights have erupted and people have ended up in the local ER. Very ’seasonal’.
Any animal remains on sale in your area, or maybe a busload of aggressive, drunken 16y olds, yelling “Ho, ho, ho!”?
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
hehe, a friend just brought my pup, Yogi a big ham bone. And that is definitely an outside bone… nasty! but Yogi loves it.
Comment by furiousball — December 21, 2007 @ 12:30 am
Furiousball, most shoppers (especially the ones eating some local Yuletide special) looked absolutely amazed at that pile of dog bones for sale. Antwerp Christmas market stands have all kinds of weird stuff on sale, but these bones emitted an odor that was just gross.
I’m more concerned about the drunken 16 y olds though. They only visit the nearby skating ring to get drunk. Last night a passing group of them tried to smash a window near my home. Antwerp City council has taken some measures, but “I’m 16 yo so I’m allowed to get intoxicated on gallons of booze” is a weird way to start the countdown towards Christmas.
I hope everyone reading this post is still sober
Comment by Peter — December 21, 2007 @ 11:46 am
1) My dog would freakin’ LOVE those bones, but yeah, the smell is pretty gnarly and unless you intend on forcing them to eat their ‘treat’ outside, consider passing on the purchase. We stick with pig ears. They don’t smell like much of anything and the kids like the ‘ick factor’.
2) Cape Cod is, in case you didn’t know (besides *cough* charming) a small drinking town with a fishing problem. While we don’t have drunken 16 year olds willy-nilly on the streets, we do have their parents, driving. It’s not pretty.
Comment by Claudia — December 21, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
Claudia, guess the sight of smelly bones was not exactly what I had in mind when looking for a tasteful lunch over at the Christmas market. I’m not sure who this stand owner is targeting though: like you noticed these bones are huge. The only dogs I saw in front of the
ParisAntwerp Hilton could easily fit into a ladies handbag.I laughed reading your description of Cape Cod (’a small drinking town with a fishing problem’)
While adults have a tendency ‘not to be sensible when drinking’, imagine the damaged caused when a large number of 16 year olds are set free on a legal drinking spree in downtown Antwerp…
Comment by Peter — December 21, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
Drunks on ice skates–what a thought.
Gluwhein always brings out the best in people, no? : )
I was teasing my chiropractor today, telling him I was disappointed that after coming out in the bitter cold to see him only days before Christmas, he didn’t even had a glass of gluwhein waiting for me.
He told me he doesn’t like to anesthesize patients before their adjustments, but I told him they’d be so IMPRESSED with the power of chiropractic to TAKE THEIR PAIN AWAY. : ) Maybe next time.
And hey, why doesn’t Antwerp have any dead rodents for the cats? Rats with stiff tails and ribbons around their neck would be so seasonal!
Comment by V-Grrrl — December 21, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
LOL Veronica, your suggested ‘Rats with stiff tails and ribbons around their neck’ sure would make a hot selling seasonal item around the drink-until-you-drop Antwerp ice-skating ring
I’m sneaking around with my camera, trying to catch one of the drunken ice-skating stars. ‘The drunken Antwerp ice-skating crash’, I already like the sound of this upcoming post!
Comment by Peter — December 21, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
Peter, all I want for Christmas is a picture from you of some Frites avec Mayo & a frothy Chimay. Please??
Comment by Claudia — December 21, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
That can be arranged Claudia - I wish everyone had such modest Christmas wishes
Comment by Peter — December 21, 2007 @ 8:23 pm