The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

I guess they’re a clever solution for staircase in a tiny space, otherwise the stairs would’ve stretched double the length. But still… Dangerous. Hilarious. Do they even meet the building code? We need to see a video of Carbon negotiating them!
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
We need to see a video of Carbon negotiating them
Sadly for posterity that won’t happen as I need both hands/arms to get him up and down. The flat owner told me to just let him figure it out and that all the dogs who have stayed here have been fine. That resulted in him sliding down the last 3 steps while shrieking. Poor baby. I was scared he’d hurt himself but he’s fine. It’s one reason I took him swimming today, so I could make sure he got some good gentle movement that was different from all the walking we’ve been doing.

He really is right as rain, but he’s only going on those stairs with his full harness on and me holding on.

Luckily it’s a very short staircase (low ceilings) with a wood backing. Not sure if that’s the right term, but I mean he can’t fall through - most sailor steps like these are open.

They’re pretty common here - I’ve had 3 apartments with them so far.

Do they even meet the building code?
A building code ? Pretty sure that doesn’t actually exist here…or maybe it’s more like a building ‘suggestion’. You should see the electrical wiring. But at least the shower doesn’t zap me when I get wet. 😆
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Well, that tiny dog had its tininess in its favour. I don’t think Carbon would be able to turn sideways!
True. After I found the video, we tried again an I realized that there’s no way he can use the stairs that way. Plus now he’s just panicked at the idea, which is unusual for my normally chill Señor.

Did you go to the Lido?
Yes. 😊 It was really nice to see him swim in the sea - first time since Cornwall. He had a blast. There were even some small waves, which is unusual for the lagoon.
He seems fine, really. I am thinking about cutting our visit short though. Between the stairs, the cat wee smell and the mosquitos (I’m covered in bites), it just may not be our year. Leave and return to conquer another day, maybe?
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Hola amigos, it is the Señor again. I really wish ML would stop taking over my space. Pfft! I have given her a strengthening talk to instill fortitude and to make it clear that we are not letting small things like mosquitos and cat wee deter us. We are strong! Plus cat pee is muy delicioso. De verdad, ML has no discernment for the finer things in life.

Pues, today I have declared ‘greeting Venetian dogs and weeing all over town’ day. I will also let her take some photos, even some of me.

Already we have been out in the early morning and have met many kind people and dogs, even a chocolate Labrador, ojalá!

Now we will go out again and wander around while I wee on things. This is my holiday too and I know how to have a very good time.

pee ess: even though I am in muy bueno spirits, ML noticed while editing that my tail is a bit droopy and my back a bit hunched today, so she is babying me with a leeetle medication to help me feel my best.



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Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
After a nice siesta, we had an exciting evening walk! First we passed through a party/protest against allowing cruise ships into Venice. Que bien, por favor save Venice from cruise ships! And then we met a group of Americans who petted and cuddled me for an entire hour. I have never had such good ear rubs!

I even did a leeetle better on the steps this evening and now am tucked into bed until morning. Hasta mañana, amigos!

 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
I thought cruise ships had been stopped from coming into Venice - has that not happened?
It depends on the current government. The ships have been stopped and then restarted over the years, on and off. I’m guessing from the protest signage yesterday that there is a new election coming up with one or more party in favor of restarting the ships. There are river cruise ships in the smaller docks right now, and a couple very large private yachts docked on the Zattere, so it’s already creeping back with the current government.

The big cruise ships going through are kind of amazing as they look like a skyscraper when you are standing on the canal edge. It has to be doing damage. Plus people on cruise ships notoriously don’t spend money locally (this is true also in Regensburg where 8-10 ships dock a day in season).

However the Venice cruise terminal is relatively new and massive , and I imagine the government gets a lot of money for each ship and it has to bring some local employment to run something that big. The temptation to take that money (both over and famously under the table) has to be huge.

Ok, that was my essay on cruise ships in Venice. Back to Carbón. 😉
 

Jacqui-S

Moderator
Location
Fife, Scotland
The big cruise ships going through are kind of amazing as they look like a skyscraper when you are standing on the canal edge. It has to be doing damage
I totally understand this but having been on a cruise ship, passing St Mark's Square and the Grand Canal, it was amazing and magnificent and I feel lucky to have done this.
But totally understand the environmental impact none the less 😢
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
We missed the boat to Burano today! Pues…not actually ‘missed’ because there is always another boat, but ML was so sloooooow this morning that by the time our leeeetle feet got to the boat stop, it was loco crowded and she said, “PFFT!”

Just keeeeding, ML does not say that, I do. But still, she said we were not getting on a boat with sooooo many people. There is too much chance of me getting me leetle paws tread on. We will try earlier tomorrow.

Instead we had a nice quiet walk in the Arsenale neighborhood that has not so many tourists (or anyone at all) because it is like a maze: you go in, you may not go out!

We met a Labrador puppy named Frankie and saw a Bodeguero. ML got all excited and so did I, then asked the people how they had a Bodeguero in Venice? They looked scared, said “We only speak English” and then ran away. It was very raro, strange! We never had that happen before. But I got to play with Frankie for quite a while and that was fun.

Now we are having a siesta and I had a leeeetle more of that nice sore body medication which really helped me yesterday. Then we will go out again!


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Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Pues, that is our next to last day done in Venice. ML had plans for a big walk, but my pobrecitos piedes, poor leeetle feet, just would not go anymore.

So instead we had a shorter walk and a contemplative sit down in front of ML’s favorite house and watched the water. Then we realized there were ants crawling all around and hopped up. But until then, it was a beautiful moment!

And amigos, I wanted to get in bed so badly that those scary stairs did not scare me at all! I asked ML to go up and practically floated upstairs into bed!

A rare selfie. Pues, they are getting less rare, I suppose, but I am starting not to mind SO much.
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I was very tired. ML says I may be 8 years old after all, Auntie @kateincornwall
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We sat here…
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…where we could see the best house in Venice. It is free-standing ( not an apartment), has a little garden, and even its own boat garage. We love it!

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