But....what about The Piv?

So. We also have a dog. And not just any dog, but an insanely intelligent border collie who is used to doing everything with us. He goes to the bar with us. The coffee shop. Picnics. He waits in the car while we grocery shop (not in summer). And he has been taking all of our practice walks with us. In fact, there are few things in life he likes more than walking and meeting new people. Well except for Kepa, who is his best mate. Our dog is 20 months old (8 months older than Kepa) and his name is Pivo. Meet Pivo:

"Can we keep him?" Pivo meeting Kepa.

Yes. His name is weird too. But it wasn't planned that way. Or, Pivo's was, but it wasn't supposed to be a double whammy. Pivo is Czech for "beer." Actually, it is Eastern European for beer, as "pivo" (or, in a couple of languages, "piva") means beer in at least Czech, Polish, Russian, and almost all of the Slavic languages. Probably more countries than just that. You see, our last big trip, a couple of years ago, was around Eastern Europe with Mary Ann. We went to Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, and St. Petersburg Russia. The entire trip was an amazing, eye-opening experience, but few places were more impressive than the Czech Republic. An all-around amazing culture, we were absolutely stunned to find just how good Czech cuisine is. Think of the down-home simplicity of Germany or Italy with the sophistication of France or Basqueland. It was amazing. Did you know that Austrian pastries are basically stolen from the Czechs? Or that most German food is a watered down knock off of Czech dishes (Czech food puts German food to shame btw)? How about the fact that the Czechs invented Pilsner? You think you've had beer. You think you have an opinion about lagers. We thought we did too. Then we had Czech beer. I can't even describe it. In a small town called Český Krumlov we toured a brewery that is UNESCO funded in order to continue to make their Eggenberg Beer literally the exact same way they have since the Middle Ages. At the end of the tour, you each get two free liters (one dark, one light). Never. Had. Beer. That. Approaches. It.  In Prague, we went to Pivovarský Club, which is like a hipster beer mecca without the hipsters (thank God). Pivovarsky means "beer maker," and they keep six rural, unfiltered Czech micro-pivos on tap at all times, and they rotate them as soon as they run out. All three of us went one evening and shared and tried all six. Every one was better than the last. Even the raspberry one was good, and we would typically consider fruit beer a crime against nature. Here is a picture of Todd and Brittany at Pivovarský Club:

The picture is blurry. That seems appropriate.

In Prague, there is also this amazing mom-and-pop restaurant (Medvídkü) that, besides amazing pork knuckle and wild boar, makes an amazing beer cheese. Yes, you read correctly. Beer cheese. I can't even describe it it is so amazing. Our friends Pat and Cat have had it too, and they can vouch for it. Here is Todd about to take a bite....and you can see the remnants on the plate to the left as well as the remnants of a pig's knuckle in the center:

I can't begin to describe how good this was. Do, however, avoid the beer ice cream.

If mom-and-pop ain't doing it for you (though at Medvídkü, it should) then Prague has an amazing high end place too (like top five meals of our lives good), but I digress. Actually, we've really digressed. The point was we came back really, really enamored with Eastern European culture, and we named our amazing dog Pivo. Sometimes called "The Piv" or "The Pivanator." Basically, we named our dog "Beer."

So, when we first decided to do the camino, Pivo was one of many big question marks. We thought of taking him with us. People do walk the Camino with dogs, but it is generally frowned upon for many reasons. The most important one is that, while people hike 15 miles and more with their dogs, there is a different reality to doing that every single day. Most dogs can't handle it. Universally, however, people assert that "working" breeds (i.e., border collies) can. Could he handle it? Probably, but he could get hurt. Meanwhile, we'll also be in prime sheep herding country in Spain, and we've got a good looking sheep dog. I'm worried someone would steal him while we ate dinner (he would wait outside for us when we go in places). We would certainly have to camp with him sometimes, which we can't do with the baby (OK, let's be honest, we ain't camping--see previous posts). 

All of this adds up to not taking the Piv--and it kills me for many reasons. The biggest one is that while many people leave their dogs to go on vacation, not all do it to go on a big walk, making me feel like a big asshole. Also, Pivo has done all our training with us, and this is very much something we're doing to look back on the last year, to celebrate being a family. Pivo has VERY much been a part of this past year as his puppy butt snuggled my baby bump, and he waited in the car while we visited Kepa in the hospital. It kills me to leave him behind, but leave him we will.

So, where is The Piv going, you ask? Pivo will be staying with one of my students, C., and her three roommates this summer. We had weighed lots of ideas when C approached us about taking him, and we think he is going to have a GREAT time. Basically, he gets to continue his dog city life here like we never left. Pivo is a New Orleanian. He has a regular bar; tourists love him (seriously, we don't get it); and while he doesn't seem to get why peeing in public is a big no-no in NOLA, the NOPD hasn't busted us yet. Plus, C. has a Fiat, which is this family's dream car, meaning it is only appropriate that Piv get to ride in style while we're gone.   

Cruising down the street, real slow, while the fellas be yellin' FIAT!

So, that answers the next question people seem to have. Or at least Alan B., who apparently has been hitting "refresh" on his keyboard for over a month now. Pivo is going to be OK. I just have to keep telling myself that so I don't ugly cry when we drop him off next week.

Oh, I forgot to mention. We have a cat. An irreverent cat. He doesn't care one iota that we're going on the Camino (he has no interest in walking anywhere, or moving for that matter). He'll be staying with Brittany's mother.