For a month now, 11 public toilet attendants in Paris have staged daily protests in the tourist haven of Montmartre after they were laid off by managers who want to transform their workplaces into trendy “boutique restrooms.”
“They want to create luxury stores and say we don’t have the profile they’re looking for, they want us to speak several languages,” says Mahliya Fiokouna, one of the protesting “dames pipi,” or “wee-wee ladies” as they are known in France.
For seven years, Fiokouna has been cleaning toilets in popular tourist sites in the French capital such as the Sacre-Coeur basilica perched on a hill in Montmartre, the Notre-Dame cathedral and the Place de l’Etoile at the top of the upmarket Champs-Elysees avenue. At 45, she is the youngest of the protesters, a majority of whom are around 60 and have been working as toilet attendants for decades, but they were all laid off in July when Dutch company 2theloo took on a handful of toilets that had until then been managed by a French firm.
(AFP)
Photo: AFP
照片:法新社
一個月來,十一名巴黎的廁所清潔員自從被解僱後,天天都在蒙馬特這個旅遊聖地示威抗議。起因於他們的經理打算將這些廁所改造成新潮的「精品廁所」。
「他們想要打造高級商店,說我們的條件不符需求,要我們能說各種語言。」瑪莉亞菲歐庫娜表示。她是參與示威的其中一名清潔員。法國人稱呼他們為「小號小姐」或「尿尿女士」。
七年來,菲歐庫娜一直都在法國首都的幾個知名景點打掃廁所,譬如蒙馬特丘上的聖心堂、聖母院、還有星辰廣場,而星辰廣場所在的位置就是那個精品店充斥的香榭麗舍大道。她今年四十五歲了,是示威清潔員裡年紀最小的;裡面大多數的人都已屆耳順之年,且在各大盥洗室服務長達十多年的歷史。然而七月時,荷蘭商「2theloo」從原本負責經營管理的法國公司那邊接手了數間廁所,她們就被解僱了。
(法新社/翻譯:自由時報國際新聞中心)
A: Japanese pop diva Hikaru Utada is visiting Taiwan, as well as Aespa. B: Yeah, she will hold two concerts at the Taipei Arena over the weekend. A: When she released her 1999 debut album “First Love,” it became Japan’s best-selling album ever. B: Her No. 1 hit “First Love” from that album even topped the chart again in 2022 as the theme song of a TV drama. A: After a wait of 25 years, Taiwanese fans can finally see “Hikki” for the first time. A: 除了Aespa,日本歌后宇多田光終於要來台開唱啦。 B: 對啊,本週末將在台北小巨蛋連唱兩天。 A: 她在1999年推出首張專輯《First Love》,甚至還成為日本史上最暢銷專輯。 B: 而當年的同名冠軍歌曲《First Love》,2022年搭配日劇播出在台再度奪冠。 A: 台灣歌迷等了25年,終於等到她來台開演唱會啦! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
The Perseids meteor shower is expected to peak on Monday next week, with the up to 100 meteors per hour, with the number expected to reach more than 30 one or two days before and after, which will surely be a treat for stargazers. The Perseids are named after the Greek hero Perseus, as the meteor shower appears to come from the eponymous constellation. According to myth, Perseus slew the gorgon Medusa by cutting off her snake-covered head while viewing her reflection in his shield. While the meteors are active from mid-July, the best time to see them is next Monday with the
A: K-pop SM Entertainment’s four-member girl group Aespa is set to stage three shows in Taiwan starting Friday. B: Great, where will they be performing? A: At Taoyuan’s National Taiwan Sports University Stadium, commonly known as the Linkou Stadium. B: I hear that Aespa has even been voted by netizens as one of the top 10 girl groups. A: Yeah, other top groups include Blackpink, (G)I-DLE, NewJeans and Twice. A: 南韓SM娛樂旗下的4人女團Aespa,週五起將在台灣一連嗨唱3場! B: 太棒了,在哪唱? A: 在桃園的國立體育大學綜合體育館,就是俗稱的「林口體育館」。 B: 聽說Aespa還被網友選為10大女團? A: 對啊,前幾名的女團還有:Blackpink、(G)I-DLE、NewJeans、Twice。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Roast duck is a dish that reflects Taiwan’s diverse culinary style, shaped by its rich immigrant background. Originally brought to Taiwan by Chinese immigrants, roast duck has become an essential delicacy in Taiwanese cuisine. Restaurants specializing in roast duck are often packed at meal times. However, since these restaurants have only a limited number of roast ducks each day, reservations are necessary to ensure availability. Preparing a delicious roast duck is no easy feat, as it is a time-consuming process requiring half a day to cook to ensure the perfect taste. 台灣的移民背景造就豐富的飲食文化,烤鴨就是其中之一。烤鴨傳入台灣是由外省人引進的,隨著時間的紮根,成為了台灣不可或缺的美食。用餐時間的烤鴨店總是高朋滿座,但因每天限量供應,想吃還要提早訂,因為製作美味的烤鴨至少得花上半天,才能色香味俱全。 immigrant (n.) 移民 reservation (n.)