i want a buppydoggggg!! (nicosia street festival)

two days later, i decide i really don't want to wait much longer to get a puppy.  benjamin & i look into what it would take to transport one into england and the states from cyprus if we were to get one, and figure out the logistics regarding when the quarantining is necessary and how to fly with the puppy and so forth.  we decide that it would definitely be doable, and i start looking online to find a shih tzu, because that's pretty much the only breed i want.  


i grew up in a house with a shih tzu, scooter, who we had for 17 years until he passed away last spring.  scooter was absolutely amazing... one of the best things that's ever happened to my family.  my sister recently got a shih tzu, who is equally as amazing, and i feel like i am just way too attached to the breed to get a different kind.


as i'm searching for various pet adopt agencies and shelters, i find out that one group will be at a street festival in downtown nicosia in an hour or so and try to convince benjamin that it's a great idea to go.  i won... as usual :)


we get there, and find this festival to be pretty awesome!  apparently, it's an annual christmas street festival, and the streets are all lit up and lined with vendors giving free samples of coffee, hot cocoa, liquor, food, chocolate covered marshmallows... you name it.

we start navigating our way through the crowd, searching for the puppy booth.  meanwhile, we pass a christmas tree that is totally right up my alley, covered with shopping bags!!

a bit further up the street, and a man in stilts literally almost knocks me over after he sends a little boy in his stroller through his legs.

we find the puppy section, and are a little disappointed by the lack of selection in the puppies they brought with them.  to top it off, most of the pups looked really run down, dirty, and almost sickly.  this was definitely not what i had in mind, and as much as i love the idea of rescuing the little guys, i can't stand the thought of winding up with a big mess of a medical veterinary bill.  after playing a bit with an ADORABLE baby german shepherd (which obviously didn't fit our under-20-pound restriction for the plane), we head back to the center of the festival and benjamin enjoys a nice marshmallow coated in chocolate fondue from the fountain at the breast cancer awareness tent.

at the end of the street, we notice a group of men in uniform with instruments.  apparently, nicosia is under the impression that they can somehow try to copy the macy's thanksgiving day parade or something, because these guys started marching down the street playing carols followed by dancing girls with umbrellas as props.  competing with new york city??? i dont thiiiiink so!  in any case, it was worth a laugh :)

at the end of the day, we didn't leave with a pup... but it was definitely an experience that i wouldn't have wanted to miss out on.


i knew getting a puppy would make our life better!  we didn't even get him yet and he's already leading us to fun exciting things to do!!


xox k