Happy New Year 2018
A Border Collies 14 Year Blog-A-Versary
Yep I’ve been blogging on WordPress since March 2015 that’s 14 dog-years mate! And besides that I will be 5 in human-years next month, that’s… er… 35 dog-years, just sayin. I’m feelin decidedly middle aged! Should I go out and get me Humans to purchase a flash ball?, I’m thinking something really big and flashy like …
I know… one those balls you can actually get inside and run on water! Yeah!
Is it true, this myth that 1 human year equals 7 dog years? This seems a little unfair to us dogs. Anyway various dog breeds have different average life spans. Me I plan to live forever anyway, I have a big world to see yet…
These are the 16 countries I’ve visited in me lifetime so far: Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Italy, UAE, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland and Australia. Yeah, I know, the UAE is pushin it a bit but I did overnight in Dubai on me way to Australia! Who knew eh? I’m a BC rescue and this is my life! To tell the truth though now that we have moved from Europe to me Humans home in Australia we haven’t travelled so much, it’s pretty isolated out here and I’m getting itchy feet…
Anyway back to my blog-a-versary, here are some of me fav blogs over the last 2 (Human) years and a special thank you to all of you who followed me adventures in those early days. Here are a few that were deemed popular or were me own personal favs. Enjoy!
My very first post in March 2015
Why I have a problem with The Car, April 2015
Border Patrol, Lorsbach, May 2015
Castles in a Heatwave, The Rhine Region, July 2015
The Airport Dog, September 2015
The Rugby Dog, September 2015
How to get Human Food, October 2015
Snow White, A Wolf and a Big Cat, November 2015
Eccentric England, December 2015
Last German Christmas Market, December 2015
Leaving Germany Forever, January 2016
First Month In Australia, February 2016
My Birthday, April 2016
Those Western Australian Sunsets, May 2016
When I found out who I am! January 2017
See ya soon
R
Last Days of an Aussie West Coast Summer
Last Sunday I could feel in me bones the ebbing of summer and the first signs of a cooler autumn hanging in the air.
My Humans were going for a walk down to the local yacht club where there was an open day to sign up new members. A link to the East Fremantle Yacht club and picture gallery here. Now I don’t know why me Humans seemed so keen to go along as we don’t even have a boat! I have heard the food is superb at the club restaurant and reasonably priced too although as per usual in Australia us dogs have to stay outside.
There are great views out over the Swan River and boat harbour so I guess that’s what me Humans were going for. Me I just knew there would be a pretty good chance for a last summer swim…
Now this was fun! I pretended I was a shark heading for this bird! The Cormorant didn’t budge though, just sat there sunning his wings and glaring at me.
The Swan River has an abundance of bird life. These Great Cormorants have to sun themselves after a fishing session as their feathers aren’t waterproof – bet ya didn’t know that did ya?
Have a great week all!
R
A Border Collie’s European Summer Adventure, Part 6: Mostar Day Trip
The previous instalment on Dubrovnik’s Old Town is here.
Well, Mostar, what can I say… It’s beautiful, its vibrant, its where east meets west, where the European Union meets the old Ottoman Empire, where Christianity meets Islam, where a river divides and a bridge reunites.. Where one Border Collie met a mate… I could go on but the sense of deep history does pervade this place and even a dog can feel it.
Me and me Humans set out for our days adventure from Dubrovnik quite early (for us) at around 9am thinking 2 or 3 hour trip to Mostar, no worries… Well the roads and Bosnian drivers (who are even worse than Croatian drivers and that’s saying something) conspired against us so what was supposed to be a lunch time arrival turned out to be an afternoon arrival. Oh well it was a fascinating trip through Bosnia-Herzegovina that’s for sure.
Bosnia-Herzegovina is not a European Union member although it is a potential candidate within the next few years and EU investment here is huge.
It needs it as the country is extremely poor by European standards.
Evidence of the Balkan wars and the breakup of Yugoslavia are everywhere.
Ethnic divides show in defaced road signs where the Serbian Cyrillic writing system is crossed out in favour of the Latin script. The tensions with neighbouring Serbia are still very strong.
Mostar city centre is quite small and compact around the famous bridge with loads of really interesting markets and food stalls on both sides of the river, nothing tacky here.
There were hardly any other dogs that I saw in Mostar but I did meet this guy and we became great mates for the day!
Actually the bridge known as the Stari Most (meaning Old Bridge and origins of the cities name, Mostar) was rebuilt in 2004 based on the foundations of the original old bridge which was destroyed in 1993 by the Bosnian Croats during the Balkans conflict. There is a brief YouTube video from the BBC of the bridge coming down here.
A poignant reminder of what happened here in 1993 and the continued conflicts in the rest of Bosnia-Herzegovina that lead to ethnic cleansing and finally culminated in the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 mainly Muslim Bosniak men and boys in July 1995…
Its interesting to see which countries pitched in to pay for the rebuilding of the Mostar Bridge…
As is usual for us late in the afternoon, we crave some sustenance and this brilliant little restaurant, Babilon, perched on the bank of the Neretva River fit the bill perfectly as it allowed dogs in too, well at least on the outdoor tables.
And that’s it folks, I wont bore you with the long haul home to Dubrovnik in the dark suffice to say we made it in one piece!
In my next instalment I think it’s time to move on from politics and conflicts and on a more positive note focus on me BC belly! I try mussels and oysters and visit the Great Wall of Croatia!
R
A Dog Out And About In A Brand New Year, Part 1
Shove over Curly, I have a story to tell… OK, it’s a new year and I intend to get it off to a great start by getting out more.
Have ball – check. Have Human anti-guishy throwing thing – check. Comfy towel –check. Car to ride in – check. Sand from last trip to beach – check. Me Humans to take me there – No Check. Hey! where are you guys???
Love meeting me mates at the dog park. As long as they don’t steal me ball – it’s a real problem me Humans need to address with some of the dogs here let me tell you. But ole snowy here he’s harmless. One to many Human snacks me old mate, just sayin…
Some of the locals. The Meces here in Australia are bloody humongous with long lanky legs and a tail like a tree trunk, ya don’t mess with em as I have found out from experience…
Well guys thats me full 10 minutes of ball catching – extended edition. Time to go coz its too bloody hot mate!
Ahhh… nothing like a swim at the local dog beach, just what I need to cool off after a vigorous work out at the park eh?
R
A Dogs Photo Day
In keeping with my last blog on staying away from current events in the Human world with all its stresses and worries, today I thought I would just show you some of my personal favorite photos. Some you will have seen in old blogs some you wont. Take your mind of the world and enjoy a dogs life…
R
Border Collies Can Fly…
Thought you might like to see me as Super Dog! A few pictures of me and me bubbles (again) a few weeks ago. God I love bubbles, almost as much as big sticks…
R
The Life and Times of Ralph 