Places to go, people to see

Whenever I hear "Andiamo!" I get excited because I know that means I get to go outside!  It's so much fun to go outside here.  I get to smell and see things I never got to smell or see before.  And I make friends everywhere!  I still see Hugo a lot, but I met a little girl puppy the other day, she was fun.  And I met an old guy, a spaniel.  He was nice, too.  

Sometimes we go on big walks all the way up the hill, or sometimes around the walkway that takes us back to our house.  Sometimes I don't feel like a big walk, so I just go up to the good smelly places and come right back home.  

And here's the exciting part - I get to go into stores now!  Yep!  I even know where the ice cream store is.  My pack was laughing because I know exactly where it is and I go right in!  It's not the same as frozen doggie ice cream like I had before, it's WAY better!  And my friend Hugo likes it, too!

There is another store I get to go to.  It's where my kibble comes from!  I get to go inside and smell the food bags and I get lots of pets from the man in the store, and anyone else who is there, too!  Oh, boy!  I never had so much fun!

Harry is becoming quite the cosmopolitan pup.  He loves walking these streets and meeting people.  The people here clearly love dogs, too.  While waiting outside to buy kibble, the owner, Donato, opened the door and said, "Come in!"  Harry had never been inside a store before other than a Petco.  Donato has two dogs of his own, Labrador mixes.  When he asked for Harry's name (which is rarely heard in Italy)  I said, "Like the Prince in England."  Donato replied, "Ah, he is the Prince of dogs!"  Well, he lives like one!!

The gelato store is on the promenade.  By the third time we went there, Harry knew the way and the store.  In fact, he marched right in this past weekend!!!  "C'mon guys, time for ice cream!"  

There's a party goin' on right here...

Wow!!!  There is some kind of big party here.  The whole town is a party!!  Everybody is outside.  Everybody!  And lots of people are dressed up in funny clothes and there is lots and lots of noise.  There's funny stuff on the ground, too.  It's not snow.  It's kind of like snow, but it isn't cold.  I don't know, people are funny.  

This party took days and days.  Someone was banging a drum right in my sensitive ears.  It was sort of fun, even for me, but I'm glad it's over, because even though I am a big boy now and not so scared of everything, I like things better when they are nice and quiet.  

I saw a parade!  It was a very strange thing.  This is a very interesting place!

It was Carnevale in our little hill town in Abruzzo.  The "parade" went right by us, and I was amazed that Harry was more curious than anything else.  He even got some pats from the participants!  After awhile the noise got to be too much for him and he starting pulling me towards home.