Friday, August 29, 2014

CATS & Other European Animals

Why Do I LOVE Those Furry Creatures?

I figured it was about time to finish my LAST post from our 7 month long European trip of 2013.  WHY NOW?  I get to return to England and Sweden - lands of my ancestors this next week.  I leave on Wed., Sept 3rd and how lucky is that?  My new-found 3rd cousin from Iowa (our great-grandparents were brother & sister) is taking me to chaperone him and his brother.  HA!  They are both in their 80's and we are going to have SO MUCH FUN!!!

Back to the blog -----  I really enjoyed catching some good photos of different animals.  I can remember most of them and which country we were in when I took them, but others - I have no idea!

Cats roam wild in a park in Turkey

Turkey goats

'You lookin' at me?'




Uh-oh...you caught me diving in a dumpster!

Waiting for something to happen in Barcelona.

A Barcelona mutt

LOVE your pink ears & paws - a cute Catalan puppy from Barcelona.

An exotic bird at a Paris street pet shoppe.

The birds were oh SO BEAUTIFUL in Paris.
What about us Parisian doggies? 


Dog catchers have a truck load in Budapest.

In Budva, Montenegro, these animals look serene and calm.

In Bulgaria, they teach their cats to read the newspaper.

MANY cats at a local restaurant in Bulgaria - waiting for a hand-out.
Cat graffiti - now that's ok with me!

'HEY!  What are you lookin' at?
 This cat really thought he was something sitting on such a big and powerful bike.
I'm just trying to wash off after a big dinner!

This cat looks like he's trying to dry off like the clothes & umbrella.

Just trying to get away from those mangy dogs.



Have you ever heard of the song - "Kitten on the Keys?"
 Our couch surf host in Italy had a beautiful piano, but every time I played it, the cat came running to play with me on the piano.  It was a little annoying, but pretty funny, too.
Our host in Austria had a cat that had her own cup to drink out of at the table.  HA!





She loved wheat grass for dinner.  She even turned down the last piece of strawberry pie for the green stuff.




"Come on, we saved the last piece of pie for you kitty.  Are you too full?"



This Swedish cat seems very content, doesn't he?

A mother crane protects her babies in Bulgaria.

This dog is the cutest thing EVER on the Island of Crete in Greece.
A lazy cat in the Cinque Terre area of Italy.

Some more "Biker Cats".

He's a fetchin' dog.

It's a whole family of cats of every color in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

A beautiful flamingo in Holland.

This little girl has made a new friend.

No worries!  In Greece, cats and dogs are the best of friends.

Rounding up all the Greek donkeys.

What animal does this tree look like?

Here kitty kitty....young girl in Sweden.

A dutch dog greets us on our walk.

This colt is learning the trades of his mother -in Ivan Tarnova, Bulgaria.

Ingrid from Holland's cute little puppy.

When Irish birds are smiling....
Do leeches from Turkey qualify as an animal?  YUK!

There were many turtles just wandering around - even meandering down the sidewalks.  But where?
Just doing a little shopping....

An unusual dog in London.

Nafplio, Greece - barnyard animals go after the leftovers.

The Greek graffiti says, "No dogs allowed here - go away!"

"OK OK - I'm leaving already!"

NO NO - Kitty!  Go catch your own fish!

A Norwegian beagle looking so pitiful.

This forest was full of beautiful peacocks - on the island of Rhodos in Greece.

These pigeons were VERY thirsty.

A Rattvik, Swedish cat is on the prowl.

Santorini, Greece - wild horses roam on the hillsides.

This bull in Scotland looks like he may charge.

A mule gets ready to pack up one of the steep Greek hills.

What a shot of this dog in Spain!

Sun-bathing on the rocks by the sea.

Anybody read this language?

Another sleeping dog near a sidewalk cafe.
The dogs in Spain are sure lazy!



BUT....we are sure cute!

Yes, I smell a rat close by!

I know about my weird leg - please don't make fun of me!

We watched this swan in Brugge, Belgium make her nest.

The swans in Holland were beautiful, too.

The Swiss cats are very industrious - same as the Swiss people.

...on a mission!



Our host had a watch dog to greet us in Veliko Tarnova


A real bull terrier in York, England.
One of my favorite critters - at the zoo in Salzburg, Austria.

Looking up is a good thing to do so you don't get bird droppings in your eye.

Maybe monkeys are my favorite!  This one stole my cookie!

Time to pray and thank God for all of us WONDERFUL creatures!