April 29, 2005
No, seriously. Who let the dogs out?
Strays run rampant in the district where I live. I never noticed it before because I lived in the center, but now that I'm in the middle of the projects, it seems like at any given moment there are more dogs out than people. Most of them are orphaned, scraggy, and hungry. They're also big. Though there are plenty of little dogs, they are usually pets. The strays run the gambit from German shepherds to rottweilers, and some look like a mix of the two.
Last night was a cacophony of howling, in five movements. I found the waltz, around 4am, particularly charming. I don't know what was going on, but I reckon that there was some sort of gathering of the tribes for this region. The conclave didn't stop until well past sun-up, and the chorus seemed to come from all directions. Fortunately, they're quiet so far this evening. After the discussion that took place last night, however, I'm convinced they're up to something.
Here we have some representatives of the Repina clan, taken during a visit of mine to their beach-side territory last August. They are pretty representative of the strays you see around the city. Though mangy, and possibly rabid, the dogs are actually pretty well behaved. I've never seen them attack a human, though they walk freely among us. I have, however, twice seen them truly attack one another. I still don't feel entirely comfortable around them.
Repina is a suburb of Piter, a sort of tourist destination to relax on the beach or in the woods. Yes, this place can be surprisingly beautiful during the summer.
