Mannequin Pis

Ever wonder what makes a tourist attraction attract tourists? This one, the Mannekin Pis, really puzzles me. My theory is that some Belgian marketing genius was desperate to get more business into Belgium and one day decided to tell tourists that this was "the" statue to come see. So he starts to advertise for the "famous Mannekin Pis" in Brussels. No one has ever heard of this, but upon hearing of this renowned statue, folks decided to catch a glimpse as long as they were in town. Photos, postcards, figurines, keychains, and quite a bit of money later, the Mannekin Pis is an official tourist attraction. Just because someone decided it would be.

Then someone else, probably this guys brother or competitor, is like, "Yeah! This works!" so they got some local to come and dress up little Mannekin Pis every month. This in turn makes the tourists laugh and they all discuss the last time they saw him he was wearing such-and-such, and how long has this tradition been going on, etc. Meanwhile the locals just laugh at the tourists and avoid the Mannekin Pis.

You may be wondering, "Wait, he's not wearing anything... what are you talking about?" I happened to catch the Mannekin Pis on a day when he was, ahem, in the buff. This is apparently rather rare and mildly scandalous. Usually he wears little outfits and is dressed by a guy named Jean-Marc.

What is not rare but is definitely scandalous is the chocolate Mannekin Pis for sale around Brussels. Chocolate and candy figurines of a tiny naked man-boy peeing are everywhere. Size, color, frequency... (if you get the joke, please cite the movie). You can buy the Mannekin Pis in any color and/or flavor you wish. Taste the rainbow.