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Let’s call her ‘Calico’

NAXOS, Greece — This country is known for a lot of spectacular aspects … breathtaking landscapes, centuries-old antiquities, its food, its music and its people.

It also is home to perhaps millions of stray dogs and cats that roam through city streets and rural gardens with nary a care in the world.

My traveling companions and I have made a friend of one of the wanderers on Naxos, where we will spend the next few nights. I am going to call her “Calico,” as she is a calico kitty, and I believe a young one, too.

Calico doesn’t act like a feral animal. Her fur is groomed, she purrs constantly, she loves being held and she also seems willing to join us indoors in the resort where we are staying.

Stray dogs and cats have been a source of discussion among Greeks for years. As Greece was preparing to host the 2004 Athens Olympics, a tempest erupted when the government considered methods to, um, “reduce” the number of stray animals who officials thought would bother the millions of tourists who came here for the Games.

Citizens here said, “Not so fast!” They resisted any thought of mass slaughter of the pooches and kitties. Indeed, we witnessed a woman the other morning in Athens feeding about 20 cats gathered around her for a meal.

These adorable critters, such as Calico, are part of life in Greece.

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They aren’t so rude

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PARIS — I had heard for many decades that the French dislike Americans, that they refuse to speak English to us out of spite.

Such criticism never has made sense to me, other than the nationalism that the late Charles de Gaulle instilled in his countrymen and women during his time as president.

My brief encounter with French folks, I am happy to report, has been quite pleasant. The taxi driver I hired to take me to the Eiffel Tower wasn’t much of a talker … then again, neither was I during our ride together through the hideous Paris traffic.

All the customer service employees I have encountered on my lengthy layover in this lovely city have been professional and have done their country proud with their courtesy.

Paris is gearing up to play host to the Summer Olympics later this year and I’ll just add that the city is spotlessly clean, at least along the streets and highways I traveled earlier today.

Athens was the previous Olympic city I visited. That was in 2003 and the city had embarked on a massive clean-up to prepare for the2004 Games. The Greeks were proud to host the Games and the French appear to be no less proud as their moment basking in the sports world sunshine approaches.

All in all, my brief exposure to France has been a wonderful experience.