As Sherisse has noted numerous times, Turkey has serious dog issues. Let's just say there is no law in Istanbul to keep dogs, or cats for that matter, on a leash. Sherisse has in fact struggled to stay seated at a table throughout entire meals without jumping up as cats approach or at least requesting some level of protection if she sees one in advance. This issue is further exacerbated by the fact that we, but especially Randall enjoys nothing more than taking a meal outdoors on a patio.
Thus on our first morning down to the hotel breakfast, after loading out plates with fresh fruit, olives, exotic cheese and breads, Sherisse noticed a pleasant outdoor eating area; as she also noticed it was overrun with a host of vagrant kittens, she said nothing. By the second day I had still not grasped the full extent of her phobia so I lead us out onto the patio to eat. Things quickly got tense. Several chidren were playfully working the flea bitten kittens into a full frenzy. At one point I was gazing past her at the vine covered wall and she was suddenly startled, exclaiming "what are you staring at!". She thought a cat was behind her on the wall ready to pounce. So later, as we wandered the park surrounding the Hagia Sophia or toured the shops of the spice market, when I felt Sherisse's grip tighten dramatically on my arm, I learned that she wasn't being overcome by the beauty of her surroundings. Rather, I was being called upon to serve as her protector from another random mangy cat or dog encounter.
No comments:
Post a Comment