Themes, Eye Candy and Unexpected Gifts
Travel themes found me without warning. As a former Erector Set and Lincoln Log builder, my eyes were fixated on the propped up 11th century Roman architectural influences to the 20th century reconstruction Socialists’ style buildings of the 1950’s. Camera angles, vanishing points and cobblestone streets posing as place holders in the forefront, filled my camera and heart with joy.
My keen eye also picked up on local canines behaving in an interesting manner. The dogs of Europe walked the streets quietly and in step with their owners – nothing too unusual. What was unusual were the interactions, or lack thereof, between and among other dogs pounding the streets. No barking. No sniffing. Not even at close range. I saw hundreds of dogs and didn’t hear a single bark.
The question was, “Are there cultural differences between dogs of Europe and the United States?” I wasn’t going to investigate that notion, but what I did do was create opportunities to engage the dogs and their owners. With camera ready, I would tell the owners how cute their pup was and asked permission to take a picture. No one declined. After a few pics and sharing pics of my granddogs, Oliver and Adam, I realized it became the perfect icebreaker to engage the locals and other travelers. What a discovery – using the love of dogs as intermediaries between the locals and me. It was an unexpected gift.
Puppy pose in Vienna, Austria
