Switzerland

Well, it has to be said, Poncho is far more traveled than I and as if scouting around America’s capital wasn’t cultural enough, here he is traversing the Swiss Alps!

Christian Mosimann and Alexa Burger took Poncho with him on their recent visit to Switzerland.  Taking to the snow like a pooch to a kibble bag, here is the fella gearing up for his first snow-boarding lesson (safety first of course); then confidence overcame him and he shed the helmet to flaunt his features for the Scandinavian ladies; heading up to higher slopes; tasting a delicious culinary marvel - the fondue; contemplating nature and finally looking out over to the Italian Alps.

Great photos guys and, even though I’m not a fan of the cold, I can appreciate what absolutely stunning scenery you had to enjoy your holiday.

Boston, MA

Dan Perkins battled some bad weather to show Poncho around Boston.  Here he is schmoozing with one the few remaining mounted patrols in the Boston Common Garden; considering a tasty hot dog treat and appreciating the State House on Beacon Hill (and you thought dogs couldn’t multi-task!); getting in line at the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues (he’s such a kidder); next to the iconic Cheers sign (and Poncho is pleased to report that everybody did know his name);outside Fenway Park on Yawkey Way and then inside the famous stadium!  Thanks Dan for these great shots!

New York City

Kathy and Chris Weimar took Poncho on a tour of the Big Apple recently.  Here we see him outside the Guggenheim; shooting the breeze with the Lion who guards the New York Library; at Rockefeller Centre; pondering his hot dog choices at the Metropolitan Museum; admiring the Radio City building; out on the town in Times Square; snubbing The New York Times (for not changing their no-comic policy and running Pooch Cafe); trying on a giant pointing finger at the Yankees Store in Times Square; checking the time at Grand Central Terminal; and getting a friendly warning from one of NY’s finest (there’s never a public park when you need one !).  Great shots guys - wish I’d been with Poncho hanging out in NYC!

Pittsburgh, PA

Wendy Loreti from Pittsburgh, PA recently hosted Poncho.  Here’s some shots of him at a Bessemer Converter from one of the old steel mills, which is now the centrepiece of a “dancing fountain” display; at the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus; on the Sixteenth Street Bridge; hanging out with a Diplodocus carnegii (named after Andrew Carnegie); visiting the home of Henry Clay Frick, a noted industrialist; in front of the Heinz factory ketchup sign on the John Heinz History Center; Poncho drooling at the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company and finally deciding on a fine Danish Havarti; standing next to the Immaculate Reception statue; waiting at the front door of the Monogahela Incline; outside the Carnegie Museum of Natural History; atop Mt Washington overlooking the city; and checking out typical Pittsburgh tschochkes in a Strip District store.  Great work Wendy!

DUBUQUE, IA

Bob and Judy Krohmer of Dubuque kindly showed Poncho the many sights around their fair city.  Here is Poncho (and Plankie) at the Field of Dreams; at the Potosi Brewery and National Beer Museum (which happens to stand on the Guiness World Record for longest Main Street without an intersection); outside the Star Brewery Building with Shot Tower in the background; about to ride the shortest and steepest railway in the world; taking over as tour guide on the trolley; beside the statue of General and President Grant and fountain in Grant Park, Galena, Illinois; looking down on the gold-domed Courthouse; watching the paddleboat meander past; relaxing in the Port of Dubuque; and getting the fright of his life coming across the local postal workers!  Poncho sent me a couple of postcards to say he was really enjoying his stay in Dubuque - thanks for taking such good care of him Bob & Judy!

LOUISVILLE, KY

Poncho does Louisville, courtesy of Cheryle Miles.  Here he is at the famous Churchill Downs Horse Track; up close at the Paddock enjoying some french fries; the famous finish line; sizing up a bat at the Louisville Slugger Museum; and introducing himself to a bronze stallion.  Cheers, Cheryle!

CHATTANOOGA

Pardon me, Pooch…. Our boy’s got his fare, with just a trifle to spare… Here he is Chattanooga way, enjoying the bridge from the North Shore; pondering the titular choo choo; at the Tennessee Aquarium; at the interior dome inside the Chattanooga Train Sation; interacting with a local piece of sculpture;  at the historic Edgeworth Inn at the Monteagle Assembly (Poncho stayed there one night…now it really IS historic!); with the Delta Queen moored at Chattanooga’s Coolidge Park on the North Shore; a vantage point of Lookout Mountain; and gazing toward the Hunter Museum of Art.  Thanks soooo much to Peggy and Stuart for giving Poncho such a dedicated tour!

NASHVILLE

Grand ole Poncho does Grand ole Nashville.  Here’s the little honky-tonk looking out toward downtown Nashville at Union Station; inside the “Bat Building”; at the Country Music Hall of Fame; at the Parthenon, (built for Tennessee’s Centennial Exposition in 1897); at the Ryman Auditorium, (Mother Church of Country Music and original home of the Grand Ole Opry); outside Bellsouth’s “Bat Building”; and fading into the sunset at the Tennessee State Capital Building.  Yee-haw!

CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE

Poncho’s latest trip has found him Tennessee way, hosted very kindly by Peggy Bonnington.  Here we see him at the Customs House Museum; at Clarksville’s historic Courthouse, beautifully restored since the 1999 tornado destruction; visiting historic Dog Hill (he thinks Clarksville should rename it Pooch Hill); some beautiful rooftop architecture; competing in a raised-nose competition with a local reptile; an undisclosed street of some comeliness; and pestering some poor sod while he’s either trying to get some work done or get a nap in (sources were not specific).

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AUSTIN, TEXAS

Shane Davis and his wife really pulled out all the stops for Ponchos’ trip to the great state of Texas.  As Shane states, “Everything in Texas is bigger, including the number of pictures we took.”  They really had some fun, and there were so many to choose from, some will be saved for future blog posts.  Here below are the picks of the litter:  The majestic Texas State Capitol built in 1888; The Great Seal in the Capitol Rotunda displaying the Six Flags that have flown over Texas (that’s our guy right in the center); The Texas Governor’s Desk in his Reception Room (used to sign bills into law);  The Driskell Hotel; the Pennybacker Bridge; Portrait of Audie Murphy; St. Mary Cathedral; The Littlefield House on the University of Texas campus, built in 1893; an early morning horse back ride; a REAL 5 ft long Western Diamondback rattlesnake!!!; enjoying a fine after-dinner cigar at Bobalu’s; one of several 10 ft. concrete guitars scattered downtown celebrating Austin’s role as the Live Music Capitol of the World; sitting in with flamenco salsa band The Brew at “The Oasis” restaurant; winding down watching the sun set in the enormous Texas sky over Lake Travis.  Simply fantastic!

CHICAGO

Here at last after one heck of a long blustery winter deluge, Poncho emerges safe and inquisitory, sticking his nose like G-Men of yore where it doesn’t belong around the streets of Chicago.  Here, some amazing photograph work by super-blogger Lulu (Archie): The Hancock Building (second tallest in town); The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel; the historic Chicago Theater on Slate St.; with a nasty looking cat in front of the 100-year-old Art Institute; The “Chicago El”, a landmark elevated train; The Millennium Face - a face that moves, blinks, and in summer spits water (part of Millennium Park); The Sears Tower (now the tallest building in North America); the Water Tower (the only building to survive the Chicago fire of 1871); Cloudgate (mistakenly referred to as “The Bean”), also in Millennium Park; and lastly a beautiful shot of the city once again from Navy Pier.  Stellar!

KINGSTON, ONTARIO

Here are some shots of Poncho in Kingston, courtesy of  host Marcela Oliver, who I must also thank for the administrations of minor veterinarial service as well.  Kingston is an historic city on Lake Ontario near the St. Lawrence River.   Below we see Poncho in front of the Murney Tower; the Spirit of Sir John A. MacDonald train; City Hall in downtown Kingston; a plaque commemorating Fort Henry (an important Canadian military fort of the 1800’s), and in front of a few more modern pieces of military hardware at the Royal Military College.  God, don’t let Poncho get hold of a tank.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

Here are the pics of Poncho from Canada’s beautiful capital city of Ottawa courtesy of Poncho host Crystal-Ann Pyne.  Here he is in front of the Parliament Building; at Majors Hill Park; at the Art Gallery; on Sparks Street; in front of an historic building on good ol’ Bank St.; in front of a Mamon sculpture; and refreshing himself with a pint.   I used to live in Ottawa so these shots really bring back some memories.  Thanks, Crystal-Ann!

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

Poncho arrived in Montreal last week and was shown the town in la style courtesy of Eric Desmarais.  Below we see Poncho in front of Old Montreal;  the Biosphere; Olympic Stadium (home of the 1976 summer Olympics); Mont-Royal; Bonsecours Market; Notre-Dame Basilica; Jacques Cartier Bridge; enjoying a smoked meat at Schwartz’s (or at least mooching for one), and a gorgeous Montreal skyline sunrise from atop Mont-Royal.  Absolutely beautiful photography, Eric.  C’est bon!

TORONTO, ONTARIO

Check out some shots of the Poochalicious One popping up in front of some local landmarks of my very own home town, the T-dot! (nobody really calls it that).  Here we have him in front of the world’s tallest freestanding structure, The C.N. Tower; also the OCAD builidng (Ontario College of Art and Design); City Hall; Casa Loma; Old City Hall; and a savory shot of the “Canada Geese Flight Stop” inside the Eaton Center.

LECHERIA, VENEZUELA

Poncho takes his first plane ride and winds up on the beaches of Lecheria, Venezuela, courtesy of Carolina Aristimuno.  Below are pics of him sunning himself at Cerro-del-Morro (”Hill”); in front of an International-Award-winning-building (designed by famous Venezuelan Architect Fruto Vivas); City Sculpture by Dimitrios Demu; the main entrance of the Dimitrios Demu Museum; Playa-Muerta (”The Dead Beach”), and checkin’ out the view of the city.

KANSAS CITY

Below are the pics of Poncho at the commencement of his journey, taken by the good folks at Universal Press Syndicate in Kansas City just prior to Poncho’s departure for sunny Venezuela.  Here he is in front of  the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, by Henri-Léon Gréber (1910, reinstalled in Kansas City and dedicated in 1960), at the corner of 18th and Vine, and enjoying a barbeque at the world famous Arthur Bryant’s Restaurant.