THE FOUNTAINS OF ROME

The weather is turning here in Sardinia, there is a slight chill in the air at night and this past week or so the sky has melted every so often and got me, and the ground all wet. The mud gets stuck in my paws and for some reason mommy gets all upset when I walk all over the clean floors, she has washed my paws so often that I’m starting to loose my pads!! I have noticed that she has started to pack the luggage, and have a feeling that my stay here is coming to an end; I will go outside and check my kingdom one more time.

Sure enough I was right, not too long after saying goodbye to my grounds we took a trip to the airport; uncle Tony and aunt M.Teresa came along and that was a God sent for mommy who had a very tough time making my tickets, I guess they are not used to sending dogs to the States because they could not find the prices; it took a while, but finally things were resolved. I did not even know about all this mess because Tony and M.T. had me outside to water a few plants, and let the Elmas dogs know I had been by. By this time we are almost late and have just enough time to say our goodbyes and go our separate ways, I to “Bulky Bags” and mommy to the baggage check, and next to the gate. After all the stress of the ticket and …did I mention that at first they did not want to send me and the luggage straight to JFK?…the plane is late, and if that were not enough, once on board the captain announces that the weather in Rome is bad and we do not have permission to take off…my Doberman nose and instinct tells me that trouble is brewing, but mom is oblivious to everything.

We arrive in Rome one hour late and, while mom is refused the V.I.P. treatment to make sure she does not miss the flight to Frankfurt, I am picked up faster than you can say “BIG TROUBLE” and put on the plane!!!! Mom is not alarmed yet, Alitalia is issuing a new ticket for her on the 3:30 flight to JFK, all they have to do is trace her luggage….and ME!!! Yea, good luck, I know German when I hear it, and THAT is all I’m hearing!!! As I was saying, the poor woman is no worried yet, she’s been issued a ticket and all she wants to do is find me and possibly have some food since she hasn’t eaten but a cup of coffee at breakfast, there are a couple of hours to go and for sure they will find me since they are sending inquiries to every corner of the airport. So sure they are that I’ll be found, that at boarding time they let mommy get on the plane giving her a sense of security that I also am on board, just to make sure she does stop an attendant and asks to double check the pet compartment and make sure I’m there….. I have just landed in Frankfurt, how can I be there?????? Two seconds before takeoff they finally tell her that I am not on board and the poor woman gets off the plane worn out, worried, and starving…. yea, she still has not had any food. The Alitalia attendants are very nice, they take her to the ticket counter again and she’s issued a voucher for a hotel, and a new ticket for the 9:50 plane on the following day, there is still a little problem…. nobody knows where I am, they suspect Germany and start sending inquiries to Frankfurt and tell her to just go to the hotel and they will call ASAP when they have news. It is now around 4:30 and she goes to the hotel (the Hilton btw) dreaming that I am found soon, and to have a meal. When finally in her room, trying to decide if to shower all her weariness off first or have a meal, she gets THE CALL: I have been found in Frankfurt, am on my way back, and can be picked up at 6:30. OK, she thinks, I’ll have a sandwich at the airport, it is close to 6, I have time to go, eat, pick up Rupert and then call Michelle to advise her of the new flight, shower and eat. It was a good plan, and it would have even worked IF she had not forgotten her passport, so she had to say good-bye to the sandwich and hello to a measly cappuccino. We are finally reunited, I’m in my crate holding my temper and my urine and am so happy to see her that they do not need to check the baggage claim tags to see if I am her dog, the attendant again is so nice and tells us to go outside the airport via the customs and let the “Finanzieri” know that we need to come back in, but first we must go trough passport check…again! Everyone is very nice and all compliment me on my good looks telling mom that they would not dare stop me from going where I please! It pays to be a DOBERMAN!!!! We go outside and it feels so good to have a drink and pee!!!! !!!! Go back in, customs, passport check, pick up rest of luggage and crate, passport check, and out to a loooong tunnel with strips on the floor which move…I want nothing to do with that, and we are obliged to crawl with two luggages, one crate, and one dog on leash

Finally we get to the hotel, we are both past exhausted and hungry it is close to 8 and after a quick call to Michelle, and a warm bath for mommy, she goes to a well deserved dinner. Her first dish, “trofie al ragu” is so salty that, if the advents of the day were not enough to send her blood pressure spiraling to the sky, this would surely finish the job; but the entrée is very good and since it is also plenty, she saves part for me and asks the waiter to have some rice boiled for my meal. The Hilton cook redeems himself by preparing the best-boiled rice of my life, and when mixed with the chicken it makes the best dinner!!!!
My crate, how would you like to take an extra four hour trip in that!

Nothing like a nice comfy bed to make you forget 7-8 hours in a crate!

Here I am under the "Leonardo Da Vinci" art piece.

I will spare you the details of the trip back to the airport, the looong crawl on the tunnel, the up and down, up and down etc on the elevators because it is too painful to even remember. Let’s concentrate on the pleasant things, the walks around the Hilton, especially when she let me loose around 6am; sleeping in a very nice bed; meeting very nice people who could not compliment me enough, a nice soldier even offered to take me upstairs while mommy schlep the luggage and crate up the elevator, (I just refused to enter one more elevator, and told her in no uncertain terms that I had had it with that contraption)!

The best part though, was seeing the Roman fountains. I had always read about the famous and beautiful fountains of Rome…Trevi, Piazza di Spagna, Triton…and many more, it is the dream of every tourist to see them and, even though it cost me a trip to Germany, it was a privilege to see and drink from a Roman fountain!

Cala Gonone 2009

Cala Gonone is becoming a must every summer, last year the whole clan of Tidus and Unruhs enjoyed it with Michelle, Zsolt and their kids, this year we went with Dylan and Jazzi. It is also becoming a tradition to arrive there late, so it is impossible to find a rubber raft to rent, and we have to buy a ticket on the mini cruise boat who takes you to three beaches and leaves you in each one for a couple of hours.
This time the day was ideal, blue skies and crystal clear waters….. More or less like last year!!!!! One of the operators of the boat was very helpful and gave lots of information on the type of trees that grow in the area; an eagle’s nest perched in the rocks; the derivation of the name of the boat, which was TURCALI, probably from a pirate that was hung in the area of Dorgali; local discord as to which County the major beaches belong to…and so forth.

Dylan and Jazzi also walked to an arch on the water, it was made of razor sharp rocks, and the crazy kids climbed it several times and dove from there. Dylan also went to another rock, which was even higher than all the other ones, and overcame his initial fear to take the plunge! He would have repeated the dive, but his flip-flops broke and besides the rocks were really cutting his feet a lot. We saw them from afar and started to hope they would hurry back since the boat was about to come back to pick us up…. then we started really worrying, and started calling, at first they did not seem to hear our calls, but at last we saw them jumping in the water and swimming fast to shore…. they made the boat breathless!


This year I brought my beach shoes which made it MUCH easier to walk on the beach of Cala Mariolu, which has the tiniest, whitest, oval or round very smooth pebbles instead of sand; this gives the water a wonderful emerald color, beautiful to behold but not very comfortable to walk on!
Jazzi and Dylan found rock climbing and diving very exciting and fun, we walked to a rock that was maybe 20 feet from the surface of the water and Dylan was the first to dive, then either Toni or Jazzi took the plunge, encouraged by all of them I decided to dive to the wonderment of M. Teresa who couldn’t believe it. I jumped and it was exhilarating…so... I jumped again!!!!

Tony and Jazzi....
...all four of us, click on the picture for a nicer view....

Can you believe how crystal clean this water is?

Toni and Dylan swam to a rock quite far away from shore, Dylan and Ale also checked out the sea floor with their goggles and found it very interesting.
We had so much fun swimming and diving that we could not find time to eat while in the first two beaches, so waited until the last one, Cala Luna.

Jazzi and Dylan on the Turcali enjoying the sun

Last year we had time to walk around the town of Dorgali, make some purchases and eat pizza, this time we stayed in Cala Gonone, we got there too late to take showers, so we had to remain “salty” and preferred to walk around Cala Gonone. Some of us stopped at a bar, Dylan and Jazzi had “pizza al taglio” and I had a panino, not an extremely fun way to cap the day, but nice enough and very relaxing before starting on the three-hour drive back.

This is one of the many caves that pepper the coast of Cala Gonone, the water is actually this color, no filters here, just my trusty Coolpix.

Plans are being “penciled in” already for next year’s trip, God willing. We will DEFINITELY rent the rubber boat, even if it means getting on the road at 4-5 AM; as nice as the mini tour is, I think we have outgrown it. Renting the boat will give us the opportunity to visit all the caves and inlets, swim in the deep water, and dive off the many cliffs that protrude on the shore.
We have also learned that the major cave, which houses an endangered species of seal called “Bue Marino” will be expanded to include several more caves, so it may be time to re-visit it since the last time we saw it was a loooong loooong time ago.
This is definitely one of the blogs I will want to edit when I am not limited to 30 minutes of internet per day..... many of the pictures did not download and the whole thing is discombobulated! Sorry, but it is better that nothing I guess.

SANTO CIELO, NON CI CREDO…OR OH, MY GOODNESS…A MIRACLE, WE MUST HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN!

These things simply DO NOT happen at the Italian Post Office…to enter and find only a handful of people?? Unheard of!!!!
These post offices, are places of penance that make one wish they could trade with such trifles as childbirth, root canals or bamboo shoots driven into your fingernails…waterboarding wouldn’t even qualify for comparison; I compare them to Hades where only Jesus Resurrected can get you out of, Jazzy refers to them as Purgatory, as it is a place of suffering and sweating,
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday Jazzi and I went to the Flumini Post Office to buy stamps and mail three letters, (yes you do go to the P.O. to buy and mail letters here, other methods are not always reliable)! In true delicatessen style we took our little number, number 89, and with horror we realized that they were serving number 70! I suggested that we walk 50-100 yards to the veggie guy and come back, so maybe we would be closer to being served. Walked leisurely, came back…they were serving no.71!!! Jazzi and I looked at each other…smiled…and walked right out! By that time plan B looked very attractive, so we went to the Tabacchino, were on can buy anything from hard liquor to stamps…. IF THEY HAVE THEM!!!! Of course they did not have them, maybe in two days or so…
So today, since I had to visit that lovely place again to pay my electric bill (yes, you pay all kinds of bills at the P.O.)! We fortified ourselves with positive thoughts, tightened our belts and went through those dreaded doors to find…. a miracle we cried in chorus! Only a handful of people…we better enjoy it since I’m sure this is a Haley’s comet type event…

I’M GOING FOR A SWIM…

Mommy and Jazzi are finally getting the idea…I LIKE SWIMMING! So they are starting to take me to the beach a few times a week, they throw the dumbbell or the ball, and I jump in the water like a gazelle, seek…zero in on it, and retrieve it…I’m so good at it!!!!
I still have not learned to give the dumbbell back so they can throw it again, I know I should, but there is a devilish streak in me that make me want to play tug-of-war, and I hold on to it in the hope that they will fight me for it.
They also have a strange notion that I should pace myself and not play too hard…poppycock; I don’t mind sleeping two days straight to get my achy body back in shape, just as long as I have fun, fun, and fun!!! Enjoy now pay later, isn’t that the rule?
Well this Monday the 22, they thought I had had enough playing…I disagreed…they were waiting around not throwing anything and ready to put the leash on me and go…I had other thoughts…so…I jumped in the water and went for a swim!!! Then I jumped again and went for another swim!!! When I finally was good and ready I let them put the leash on, well actually I think they tricked me into getting close to them and somehow that leash ended up on my neck, so we walked back to Tony’s and then home. I am still sleeping all that fun off, but my dreams are full of warm blue water holding me up as I walk around looking, and finding the dumbbell!!

A MAN MAY TOIL FROM SUN TO SUN...BUT A DOBIE'S WORK IS NEVER DONE! OR "HE SAID, SHE SAID"!

Cooper, I know I can vent with you about this, with three kids to take care of, you have it even harder than me, so I know you understand.
Everyday it is such a hard task to get mommy up!!!! The sun is high in the sky, and I start my day and fulfill my responsibilities. I scratch the crate's door, whine, make as much noise as I can....

Rupert, it's not the sun, it's the moon, for pete sake it's 5:45 let me sleeeep!

Finally I get her up, she opens the door so that I can relieve myself, she feeds me, hmm! that ACANA food is really yummy, but then ....she lays down again...all my work was for nought!!!

OK Rupert, you are fed, let me sleep a little longer! Have mercy, I am on vacation after all!!

I have got to use my noodle in order to fulfill my duties...let's see... usually she's on me in a flash when I grab mentionables...and unmentionables, and run to the yard, or chew them in the sofa. She runs after me with her eyes still only half way open.... I give her a good run for her money,... I got her up now...oh no!, she yells at me of all things, and goes back to bed!


Rupert, this is NO! You do not chew mommy's slippers and Jazzi's flip-flops! Bad boy!
I need sleep, my kingdom for a few more hours! Pleeeeseee!

I's 8am, it took me two full hours, but finally I have fulfilled my duties and I can reep the rewards of a job well done. I must tell you though, and I know you understand, that it has drained me, I am thorougly exhausted! With the ounce or two of energy left in me I'll jump on the sofa and finally relax! Ahh! The joys and satisfactions of a job well done!

OK, This is my lot in life, it not a lot, but it's a life, I will unglue my eyes, drown my sorrows in some extra strong espresso, and seat in the veranda until my senses kick in and I am conscious again. It would not be quite as bad if I did not have to look at that rascal sleeping like an angel on the sofa!

HEY, COOPER! LOOK AT ME.... I CAN WALK ON WATER!!!

Today was a beautiful day, I did my usual stuff in the morning (more about that in another post), and in the afternoon, just when I thought that mommy and Jazzi forgot about my walk, they took the leash out, and I knew good things were about to happen. I always enjoy going around the neighborhood and visiting friend and foes alike, but my best walks are to uncle Tony's house, there is so much to do there, not the least visiting Riva my little cousin (or something).
She is a little hard to read and I still don't know if she wants to be my friend, but I'm all for it...you know how social I am! Well, uncle Tony was not in, I sniffed around his gate to make sure, so we kept going towards "the vasca" which is their little beach; at this point I knew it would really be fun! The vasca is a small stony beach, which it is not full of people so I can run free...and boy did I ever!


At first it was as usual, just going in and out retrieving the ball and dumbell, but at one point someone threw the ball very far and I decided to go and get it anyway, it is fun feeling the water all around you as you walk on the sand or the stones, but this time something new happened...all of the sudden the stones were not there anymore!!!! Oops! Slight moment of indecision...little concern... but then I realized....I CAN WALK ON WATER!!!! I'm up there with Peter and his Boss..but unlike him I kept the faith and kept going!! Mommy was filming me, but unfortunately she messed something up and the movie was canceled, all we have are a few pictures of this fantastic moment.

You should have heard mommy screaming ,with a southern accent "My baby boy is swimming", she was besides herself!. Of course she had plenty of reasons to be busting her buttons, my style was flawless, my retrieving perfect, I was not afraid to stick my head in the water to grab the ball, and no matter how far they thew it, my courage never failed and I was on that ball like fleas on dogs. Also, I have it from reliable sources, that my beloved predecessors Talley and Rufus never learned to swim, and that is another reason for mommy's joy. I can't wait to go swimming again, I think that is going to be my favorite sport!

I AM EXHAUSTED!!!!

Goodness these Sardinian beaches really take it out of you!!!
It is 11:45, and I can't peel myself off the sofa. I woke mommy up at the crack of dawn because I was hungry...and because that is the thing to do, but after I ate I felt tired so I jumped on the sofa for a nap and here I am still....
Yesterday mommy and Jazzi decided to take me to the "Budda" beach, behind the Sigma supermarket. It was early evening, with a warm wind blowing, the beach was almost deserted so they let me loose, what a wonderful feeling to run free in the soft sand, the air had a salty taste, and the waves were high and noisy. I went in right away because I know now that the sea is fun, and ran my legs off going in and out, biting the waves, eating dry sea plants and having a ball!!! I could have played all night but mommy paced me because she knows that I am a puppy and have no sense to know when I am tired.

.....And boy, was she right!!! That air, the wind, the water....I am pooped!

Here I am with Jazzi, running free.

Catching my breath, while feeling the fresh water in my paws.

Playing with Jazzi, she throws the ball and I run and get it

where is it? I know she threw the ball here...where?...where?

This is fun!
Ahhh! that fresh smell, that nice salty breeze!

Should I go further? Ohh, it looks like such fun! I can't wait until they take me further out and I learn to swim. My fur feels so refreshed and soft, every time I shake white stuff falls off of me, and my nose is covered with it....and it is fuuunnnn!