French man with two asses surprises Swedish officials

The Local ^ | June 30, 2008 | David Landes

[Schnucki]

Customs officials in Gothenburg were at a loss as to how to deal with Jacques Abdelaziz and his two four-legged pack animals when the trio wandered off a ferry boat from Denmark on Sunday afternoon.

* Dropped French bid hits TeliaSonera shares (30 Jun 08) * France Telecom ups bid for TeliaSonera (30 Jun 08) * Gothenburg club and concert tips - June 27 - 29 (26 Jun 08)

Abdelaziz, who hails from Brittany in northwestern France, has been wandering around Europe for the past two months with his two donkeys, Nounou and Toutoune, according to the Göteborg-Posten (GP) newspaper.

And the journey had been going smoothly, if not slowly, until the pilgrims landed on Swedish shores, whereupon they were met by requests for permits and paperwork.

“I had thought about just going to Stockholm and then heading back but now I’m not sure what’s going to happen. All they care about are documents,” Abdelaziz said to GP as he nodded toward the customs checkpoint.

While customs officials weren’t unsympathetic to the Frenchman’s plight, they explained that he lacked important documents required by Sweden’s Board of Agriculture, including a veterinary examination costing €250 ($395), a sum which Abdelaziz wasn’t prepared to pay.

The whole incident left the animal’s owner feeling frustrated, regretting his decision to come to Sweden.

“If the boat had still been here I would have probably gone back to Denmark at once,” he said.

After much deliberating, port officials remained stumped as to the precise set of rules governing the temporary import of two asses to Sweden from another EU member state.

“Who was it who said that we had common EU rules?” said one, according to GP.

“Where are the voluntary powers in society which can arrange a roof over one’s head and a spot of grass?” asked another.

Finally, harbour personnel decided to take up a collection to pay for the donkeys' veterinary examination in hopes that the wandering Frenchman would overlook the bureaucratic snafu.

“We couldn’t just send him back to Denmark. It’s actually a little shameful, there’s nothing human behind this. That’s just the way it is when everything hinges on a bunch of paper,” said a harbour worker who wished to remain anonymous.

The vet arrived, Nounou and Toutoune passed with flying colours, the trio was once again on its way.

By Monday Abdelaziz was heading east towards Borås, traveling about 30 kilometres a day.

“Every day I start a new life,” he quipped to GP.

[reagan_fanatic]

I hereby nominate this as Headline Of The Week.

[Schnucki]

Oops, didn't see the three links before the second paragraph. :(

Too bad we can't edit.

[webheart]

He was on his way to work for the circus.

[Clemenza]

Friend of Dr. Mephisto?

[TheThirdRuffian]

I bet this guy would be really popular in San Fransico.

[rabscuttle385]

Abdelaziz, who hails from Brittany in northwestern France, has been wandering around Europe for the past two months with his two donkeys...

Future Obama voters?

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Gotta Love A Good Headline...PING!!!

[dynachrome]

Dr. Mephisto ping!

[Dumpster Baby]

Monty Python's "A Man With Three Buttocks"

[GSWarrior]

That headline cracked me up.

[Arrowhead1952]

I hereby nominate this as Headline Of The Week.

I predict this thread will go downhill in a big hurry.

[dynachrome]

Whoops. maybe I oughtta read all the posts.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> French man with two asses surprises Swedish officials

HEY, NO FAIR! I clicked this thread expecting one thing, and got another thing entirely! I want my money back!

(Huzzah! that’s gotta be Headline of the Month!)

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

"I predict this thread will go downhill in a big hurry."

You know some FReeper is going to make an ass of themselves with this topic. ;o)

[devane617]

How about: “Donkey Boy does Switzerland”

[the_devils_advocate_666]

[gdani]

Mmmmm. Yes. Quite fascinating, indeed.

[pgkdan]

OK...you got me. I was having a very hard time picturing this guy.

[skinkinthegrass]

French man with two asses surprises Swedish officials
John F'n "I served in Viet Nam" Kerry???

[BlueMondaySkipper]

I thought that John Kerry showed up in Sweden unexpectedly accompanied by Barack nObama and Harry Reid

[seoul62]

He is going the eco-friendly route, to delivering the opening act for the Democratic Convention in Denver./Just Asking - seoul62.......

[HereInTheHeartland]

“French man with two asses surprises Swedish officials”

Not another thread about Hillary and Obama’s joint appearance.

Do we always have to discuss politics?

[Doomonyou]

His girlfriend:

[Radl]

I bet he pays twice as much for sepositories.

[xjcsa]

Laz would hit it...if he were still here...[bring back Laz!]

[tumblindice]

http://www.buttocksenlargement.com/

“Our goal is to enhance and sculpt what Mother Nature gave you”

[PBRSTREETGANG]

What were Obama and Clinton doing with a Frenchman in Sweden?

[WayneS]

So does she also have two...

..ummm...

...you know?

[Arrowhead1952]

Well, it got shipped to the Chat section in a hurry.

[Arrowhead1952]

LOL. See the picture in #24.

[VA Voter]

Shouldn’t that have been a man with three asses?

[Doomonyou]

Laz would hit it...if he were still here...

Did he get sent behind the woodshed again?

[spotbust1]

The mental picture from the headline alone was hillarious.

This brings a whole new meaning to “full moon”.

[Doomonyou]

So does she also have two...

Only her gynecologist knows fer sure.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

My oh my....can you imagine her toilet tissue bill.

;o)

[reagan_fanatic]

I wonder how many squares of toilet paper Cheryl Crow would let this man use?

[xjcsa]

Did he get sent behind the woodshed again?

He's been there for awhile now...hope they let him back in.

[Daffynition]

So much for the compatible laws of the EU.

[dfwgator]

Did you hear about the man with five buttocks?

His pants fit him like a glove.

[SoldierDad]

At first I thought this was going to be about two democrats who were with the French man.

[MrB]

OK, so I’m not the only one that thought that...

[Ditter]

There is a hilarious joke about a guy with 2 a**h***s but I would probably be kicked off if I told it. It wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture.

[EveningStar]

TaЯd ping!

"Tard" refers to the ping list members and not to the subject of the thread!

List of Ping Lists

[Larry Lucido]

Was his name Bubba?

[Xenalyte]

“Oh, my God, that Frenchman only has two asses! He’s of no use to me. I’ll have to burn the room.”

[RockinRight]

Awesome headline!!!

[MoochPooch]

(True story)

When outsourcing to India was just taking off, the folks in customer service were still struggling with American English.

One Indian gentleman phoned an American woman about a statue of a donkey she had ordered for a Nativity scene:
“Your ass is ready.”

[Slings and Arrows]

French man with two asses

Now we know what Chirac's been up to.

[MeekOneGOP]

http://www.buxtononline.net/buxton-derbyshire-pictures2/donkey7bb.jpg

:)