Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Animals Who Steal The Scene: Part One


Animals Around The World

The cow above was one of the prettiest cows I have ever met - She had big liquid brown eyes, soft brown and cream coloured ears and a deep musical moo. Around her neck was a bell, and we had been hearing its noise for the last ten minutes of our climb to the top of one of Austria's lovely mountains.  We turned a twist in the trail and there she was, with her cow friends, eating grass, soaking up the warm alpine sun and just generally being bovine.  She is one of my best memories from that climbing expedition to the Austrian Alps.
Which is not to say that I didn't love the scenery, the people I met, the Alpine culinary specialties, the art - all good, but that sweet cow made an impression.  She was a part of the experience.
Listen to her and her friends and see if you don't agree.



Many of the animals I have encountered on my travels have made their impression.  I will never forget the little kitten I found in the souk in Casablanca.  He was so tiny and skinny, and one of his eyes was missing.  He had either been in a fight, or had lost it to infection, but he was obviously sickly and weak.  He was shaking.
The souk was awash in what were probably feral cats, and this one little guy probably had no chance of survival. 

 I couldn't rescue him - I was returning to a ship where I would never get past the security check with a kitten. The poor helpless thing was doomed.  I often think of him.

On Fiji I found two lovely doggies who were having a quiet snooze under the trees on a day that was scorching hot.  They seemed totally comfortable.


 In the desert in Israel I met Rhonda, a rather bad tempered camel with awful teeth but lots of character -
And just outside Quebec City, I met these two handsome gentlemen who pulled my snow sled, and were much more attractive from this angle -




Than from this one.

 Just a few of the memorable creatures I've met on my journeys.  More to come!

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