Here we are leaving Holyhead, Wales on the ferry called the Jonathan Swift. If I look pitiful it is because I was very nervous. B was told I could not be on the passenger deck and would have to go in a kennel on the car level, locked away for an hour and a half. I am sorry to report she appeared to be resigned to allow that and we walked on the boat with the other 10 or 12 foot passengers. But she didn’t disappoint me: she walked right up the stairs past the cars and where there were supposedly kennels, said hello to the man at the door and he motioned us into the passenger lounge. I sat quietly in my bag for the trip and no one blew our cover.
And now we are finally in Ireland-just where we wanted to be in the first place!

Did I mention that there were blue skies over the White Cliffs of Dover when we arrived? Not as good as blue birds but I thought that was a good omen. Although the castle is impressive, we didn’t linger long there. (It dates back to the 12th century but the site was a fort literally ages before.) We stopped for a pub lunch in Canterbury but, unfortunately, the Archbishop was not able to join us. On the other hand, it was fortunate that the pub owner’s dog, a shar pei who is the size of a rottweiler (the owner’s description not mine), decided to work from home for the day.
Fun night in London and I finally got some playtime on this trip. (Here’s my friend. Isn’t she lovely? Really sweet too. Her little brother is also a cutey. He is two and does an impressive rabbit imitation.) From there, another car ride to Wales. Pub lunch on that leg of the journey too. The resident dog there, a spaniel, travels frequently to his grandparent’s home in Toulouse. (I learned that the word spaniel has French origins; the French called them dogs from Spain.) Lovely night in Wales at an inn B and G stayed in twenty years ago. I slept very well and was ready for the road again.

Oh yes, I am. We took the train from Gare du Nord to Calais. (I had my own ticket: 6 Euros.) From there we went in a taxi under the tunnel. My papers were checked at a very busy place where they gave out free magazines about pets. We would have taken photos but there was a chance we could get an earlier spot (which we did) so we didn’t waste time. Our driver had great treats. He raises golden retrievers!

I am exhausted. B and G, with all their planning, never considered my clock. I just want to sleep and we go, go and go. This morning we leave for England. Once again I will have all my papers ready but no one asked for them when we arrived in Paris!
Yesterday we went to Mass at St. Eustache which was terrific: organ, choir and brass, but a very long day. Food is very high on B and G’s agenda. We have been to four restaurants since we arrived.
For dinner we went to a place that a friend from New York recommended. (I’ll list all our Paris restaurants in a separate post.) Everyone was really nice to me and none of us noticed another dog come in. In a quiet moment he noticed me and went absolutely nuts. I was frightened and responded but was reassured by the all people on our side of the room who took my side in the brief altercation. There was a family from Italy sitting next to us that B had been speaking to and when this happened, the grandmother told B to put me next to her which was a good thing. When the dog at the other table started up again I didn’t have to answer back because I had a nonna watching over me.
I have to go now to catch a train for Calais at the Gare du Nord.

I am in Paris! The flight was a breeze. I slept like a baby and was so quiet that no one even knew I was there. At least that’s what the woman who sat in front of us said as we were de-planing. (They really use that term.) More later about my documentation because there was a surprise there. I can’t go into detail now because we have a dinner reservation and don’t want to be late.

I thought it was time to spend a little time on my French so I asked the boyos to help me out. The translation books have all sorts of sections for human travelers like “at the beauty shop/barber” or “on the slopes,” but nothing for travelers like me. B and I are compiling a list. She started with “asseyez-vous!” but I put “biscuit pour chien” at the top. I am anticipating some good ones in Paris. (I may have to diet when we return. When we went to the vet in New York for my preliminary tapeworm treatment – the real thing is tomorrow morning-she said my weight is perfect but should not be an ounce more. But I can’t worry about that in Paris. Who could?)

B and G driving me mad with “exposure.” We have been to restaurants (entering legally and not quite) to “practice,” on the subway, bus and just generally running around.
We took a major car trip last week to get me certified, and I am happy to report that I have been cleared by the government for travel. Our visit to the USDA office was interesting. It was very Oz-like with a woman standing at a window who opened and closed a plexi-glass panel to talk to us. We met a man taking his poodle to Croatia, which is not a problem, but he also wants to go to Serbia and that is apparently terra incognita as far as pet travel. But when the woman at the window told him she couldn’t guarantee anything he didn’t seem concerned and just put all the documents back into his leather envelope which looked very impressive. (Unlike him, B had my documents in a manila envelope with notes written all over it and which did not look impressive. Worse, she presented as nervous. She is concerned that I may need sedation for the flight but I think she might require some herself.) We also sat with a farmer from New Hampshire getting what he needed to ship eggs to France. (They are eggs that will be birds.) FYI: this office was not closed during the recent federal shutdown. As the woman at the Oz window explained, their office makes money so they were classified as essential. The stamping of all my documents cost $38.00. I think the nice eggman’s fee was a really hefty one; each of his eggs costs over three dollars each. (Goo goo goo joob.)
Finally, B, always one for multi-tasking, insisted we visit the graveyard and chapel at nearby at Holy Cross College. We had a lovely walk on the pretty campus. I was admired by some pretty girls and we saw that the deceased Jesuits there have a peaceful final resting place.