The Adventures of Bear and Butterfly

Azaeus came into my life in 1998 when I was living in Christchurch. My friend Matt wanted me to live with him so I said I would if we could get a dog. Mum & Dad had always said no to me getting a dog as I would go off & travel one day. They realised the long term responsibility of having a dog… I was a teenager & had no idea about responsibility.

So the day finally arrived… we had a Trade & Exchange & looked under the freebies. “Lab Rottie X free to a good home.” Malcolm took me in his van to the house in Kaiapoi. I was lead around the back to a very large cage where the puppies were running around- except for one. Azaeus was sitting calmly in the back, our eyes locked. I told the lady I wanted him & when she opened the door to the cage he was first one to wriggle free. I didn’t see his parents, all I thought was- here is Azaeus, my baby. His ears flopped all over his face, his paws were so huge compared to the rest of him. I could hold him in both my hands & I had no idea how big he was going to become.

We had an amazing time together in Christchurch, although I didn’t end up staying with Matt for very long. He kept Azaeus whilst I was living with Sarah, but I would see Azaeus all the time & sneak him over to stay some nights. I didn’t take him for walks very often- instead he would take me for a Rollerblade. He was very intelligent. I had read about training using hand gestures rather than vocal training, so I taught him to sit, stay & lie down depending on my hand signal. Azaeus also become bilingual & would understand commands in Te Reo too.

One of my favourite memories of Azaeus in Christchurch was when I took him for a walk through the Botanical Gardens. The Daffodils were in bloom & Azaeus went bounding through them leaving a trail of squished flowers behind him; I can still see his head & floppy ears springing up to the top of the Daffodils then disappearing again…

As a puppy he wasn’t particularly fond of the sea. When we took him to Picton he drank quite a bit of seawater- I didn’t click as to the affects of this but after he had shared some of my burger then brought it back up, I realised…

Mum & Dad met him for the first time in Wellington when they picked us up. I’m sure they liked him well enough then & were probably already aware of their foreboding doggy-sitting duties. Matt was going to stay in Auckland to work with his mother’s partner, & as they lived on a farm Azaeus was to stay with them, whilst I returned to Christchurch. Matt & I had planned to go to Australia to do some backpacking…

& whilst in Australia, Mum & Dad took care of Azaeus. My parents are not psychic!! I hadn’t planned anything but obviously I hadn’t thought of anything either… did I ever use my brain back then???

Soon I was back at home & studying at University, we were one big happy family- Mum, Dad, Callan our family dog, Azaeus, & me- his mummy. We’d had Callan since I was seven. By then, Callan was quite old & didn’t have anywhere near the same stamina as his new friend. He had quite bad arthritis in his legs so walked very slowly, sometimes getting lost along the way. His eyesight & hearing was failing too. Callan enjoyed Azaeus’s company, but he soon passed on.

We adopted Tahi- Laurence & Michelle’s dog- in 2001. Michelle was quite tied up with the boys & Laurence was often away at sea so there wasn’t much time left to raise a dog too. He was an excellent playmate for Azaeus with an over-abundance of energy.

Tahi had a bit of a skin condition, so on the advice of our Vet we started feeding the both boys chicken mince mixed with brown rice. The chicken mince would get delivered so we’d have to prepare it. Stewing meat stinking up the house… not for a vegetarians nose!

When you drove with the dogs you couldn’t have the window all the way down as Tahi would jump out, he couldn’t wait to wriggle free! Azaeus on the other hand would always sit nervously in the back seat, not interested in the window at all. He wasn’t a very good traveller & in his early years he would often be sick. I’d give him sugared water beforehand but he just didn’t like being in a car. Once my friend Logan took us for a drive to Bethells Lake & I remember being really impressed with Azaeus because as soon as he got out of the car he threw up- how considerate of him!

Tahi would often escape. He could leap to the top of the fence around our house & pull himself over. We decided to chain him up, but this wasn’t enough to stop our little Houdini. I came home to find the chain hanging over the fence with Tahi’s collar at the end. Eventually we got a kennel with a cage outside to keep him safe.

Nearly everyday the dogs would get a walk, usually around the park behind my parents house, sometimes to the beach or for a bush walk. Tahi loved the water & I guess this encouraged Azaeus who soon become a water baby too. They were great mates & in the evening they would cuddle up next to each other licking each other’s ears.

One Anzac day whilst Dad & Paul were taking the dogs for a walk, Azaeus gave chase after a duck heading across the main road. Tahi followed & a car hit him. He died soon after. He was still just a puppy & his loss left us all heartbroken.

So then there was just Azaeus. Sweet Azaeus, with his soft glossy coat, velvety ears, lolling pink tongue, expressive hazel eyes & his gigantic swishy tail. We loved him so very much. The best companion for bush walks, he’d always walk up ahead, ready to pounce on anything that crossed his track or alluded to their hiding place. Snuffling for rats along the creek, darting after Californian Quails, Ducks & Pukekos, stalking the yard at night to declare his territory free of cats & hunting for possums…

Azaeus who could make anyone pat him, the way he would nudge beneath your hand with his head… if you stopped he would look at you almost pleaing or saying “Who, me?” then nudge your hand again. Once you were patting him he exuded satisfaction. He couldn’t get enough pats & he was never shy of asking for them…

He was an excellent protector, always made me feel safe & proud. There were a few friends who had trouble getting on his safe side & would get growled at, like Mike & Kim… but they know he just did that because he loved me…

While I was walking him around Henderson, we went across this bridge near Great North Road. I stopped in the middle of the bridge to look down at the Opanuku Stream rushing below, & I patted the brick wall for Azaeus to rest his front legs on & look with me. The next thing I knew, his back legs were up too & then he was hanging over the bridge, dangling by his leash which I still had a hold of. His leash was attached to a choker chain so I couldn’t hold on- I had to let go & Azaeus went falling into the stream. I can’t imagine the water being very deep, but amazingly he was fine- very shaken & now distrusting of bridges, but he didn’t have a scratch on him. You can imagine my relief!

When I moved in with Bodra I spent less & less time with my family- beloveds can be so consuming! Azaeus visited us a few times at Herald Island & I remember him skittering all over the place, slipping against the wooden floor. Usually he’d sleep in our room & he’d sneak up on the bed & get in between me & Bodra. Azaeus wasn’t shy of taking up his share of the room on the bed. I’d encouraged this back home as he was such a cuddly dog, I always wanted to curl up next to him… even if it meant my bed becoming covered with his black hairs.

Then the big move to the UK. It was terrible leaving Azaeus but I was sure he would be fine. I thought that because he was a mix-breed that he would live for quite some time yet, maybe another six years or more- & we definitely couldn’t be away from NZ for that long. I was happy that he had become Mum & Dad’s boy & was keeping them active & in good company. Dad would put the phone up to Azaeus for me so he could hear me speak. I don’t know if he realised that it was me, but it gave me some comfort to know that we were making contact.

Mum & Dad found it really hard leaving Azaeus to do their 6 week trip here recently. We were really lucky to have Jo & Chris take care of him with their dog Bono, & they did such a great job. I was pleased to hear Jo say Azaeus was fantastic & they didn’t want to let him go. One time we had to put Azaeus in a kennel whilst I was in the South Island for the millennium New Years & Mum, Dad & Shannon were in Australia. Apparently Azaeus had barked all night for the first few nights & the keeper had phoned to request we pick him up. But as I was out of coverage we could not do this. We felt really badly for Azaeus, we had no idea what had been going on to cause such a reaction, as he generally isn’t much of a barker. After that experience we felt perturbed at the idea of putting him in a kennel again, so it was a happy coincidence that Jo & Chris needed someone to take care of Bono this year too.

Naturally it was a very happy reunion once Mum & Dad had Azaeus again. They got straight back into walking around the park & everything was back to normal. Birds to chase, smells to sniff, cuddles & praise to receive…

& 12 days later he is no more. Something mysterious happened to him… a twisted bowel or maybe poisoning… Mum & Dad woke to find him curled up in his basket, listless. They took him to the vet but it was already too late & he’d passed on before they could give him the drip.

I’d dreamed of being back home & all the walks I wanted to do with him. Whenever I think of the things I enjoy doing back home, it was always with Azaeus by my side or leading me somewhere… charging through the Waitakeres or getting blown around at Bethells, soaking up the sun at O’Neill’s… or just lying together in the lounge cuddling… & now all that is in the past & all we have left are the photographs & his ashes…

I’ll love you very, very much Azaeus… my most handsomest boy.

Wednesday 12^th September- Mum & Dad’s wedding anniversary- 37^th I think? Rome was our destination. We had arranged to see the Uffizi Gallery, but after breakfast we’d established that we were happy to leave Florence & check out Assisi on the way to Rome. Bodra & I were both quite fluey at this stage, & didn’t really fancy standing around sneezing on ancient artworks- the idea of a nice relaxing drive to Rome via Assisi was much more appealing… but couldn’t be further from the truth. I spent a good part of the journey holding on & searching in vain for a loo- it wasn’t until we were near Assisi that I was relieved in yet another grubby urine smelling hell-hole.

 

Assisi is a really beautiful, peaceful city in Perugia on the slopes of Mount Subasio. We had a perfect day as the sun was shining & blue sky prevailed. Unfortunately we weren’t feeling particularly snap happy that day & we failed to take a picture that captured Assisi’s beauty. After finding a park we had a good wander heading in the general direction of the Basilica di San Francesco. The walled lanes were all really tidy, with hanging baskets & pots of flowers, cats peering down at us, every abode looked inviting with their views of the plains stretching out to the horizon… Dad found his rosary there…

 

The Basilica is decorated with a multitude of murals depicting the life & message of St Francis. The remains of St Francis are guarded in the lower basilica but I didn’t spot them. It was quite dark there & I felt a bit sacrilegious having a perve around a place which I was not religiously affiliated to- I didn’t know what the areas were which I was looking at & I guess I felt curiosity isn’t a good enough reason to hang around holding up other people who may have spiritual endeavours. I also can’t relate to the interest in viewing an ancient grey tunic or sandals or a persons remains… why hold onto them when all they essentially are is dust?

 

I really enjoyed the artwork within the monastery but I was soon incredibly disgruntled by the walk back to the car as it was mostly uphill. Our journey towards Rome began again. We needed to get the car back & check in to our accomodation by a certain time so we were quite pushed, but had the optimism that we’d be able to make it.

 

Nothing could’ve prepared us for the confusion we were to face once in Rome. Actually, just trying to get off the highway & into the area of Rome we needed was nearly impossible. There were major constructions happening on the roads & we had to take quite a few diversions from our Google plan. Road names weren’t positioned in the most helpful places (we mostly couldn’t find them), one way streets appeared out of nowhere & there were masses of other drivers to be wary of- Bodra was driving whilst I was trying to navigate & we both had runny noses to contend with too. More like phlegm tidal wave.

 

After what seemed like hours of messing about Bodra found our Hotel, we de-bagged & checked in then Bodra & I proceeded to find Hertz. Again, it took much longer than we wanted but soon our worries were over as we were driven back to the hotel in a taxi.

 

We had a nice surprise for Mum & Dad as Bodra had pre-booked a special dinner for them at the Hotel Atlante Star. The restaurant was near the top floor of the hotel so they would be able to view the Vatican City whilst they ate! So we scurried them into dining attire & walked them over. Bodra & I found a somewhat cosy cafe for a quick meal then headed back to our hotel for much-needed rest.

 

The next morning we were up early & out the door, ready for our tour of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s. We had a group guided tour where we were given ear pieces so we could listen to the guide. He spoke too quickly for me so I ignored most of the talk & absorbed myself with the sights. Loads of marble sculptures of people & animals. Amazing tapestries, some made with golden thread- made from real gold. The chapel wasn’t as awesoime as I had imagined, but this was more to do with the fact that we were crowded in there with hundreds of other tourists, guards patrolling to make sure cameras weren’t used & to hush everyone. When you are surrounded by paintings, it becomes difficult to see them as individual works of art. I was most impressed by the painted-on curtains as they looked so real, I was wondering what was being hidden beneath them.

Vatican ceiling & a boys sarcophagus

 

St Peters held my precious Pieta behind a bullet-proof acrylic glass panel- after someone had attacked it in 1972 with an axe whilst shouting “I am Jesus Christ- risen from the dead.” They mustn’t have had much security back in those days. It was difficult getting a good photo as the glass reflected everyones flash, but we managed one.

Pieta

 

The rest of the Basilica was more of the same- but probably more exquisite than any of the other cathedrals we’d been to thus far. Being the traditional burial place of St Peter, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus & containing over 400 statues & 40 chapels, you can really get saturated with religious art here. I found myself becoming a bit blasé at this point- too much exposure & loads to marvel at with every glance. But something did grab my attention- the statue of St Veronica who apparently wiped Jesus’s face during the Way of the Cross. I was told her veil, which had an imprint of a bearded man upon it, was kept as a relic in the balcony above her statue. This is revealed to worshippers on the fifth Sunday of Lent. Odd.

 

I had a good close up look of one of the mosaics at the Altar of the Falsehood. The story behind this artwork is a bit bizarre- something about a married couple who had sold a piece of land & kept part of the money for themselves whilst giving the remainder to St Peter. I think they were meant to give all the money to him, but I guess times were tough back then & they decided to do this. Surely it was their prerogative to do so- if it was their land to sell? But St Peter found out & they were both struck down dead. & thus a religion of fear was born.

 

Once the tour was over Bodra & I retired to our room to sleep off our flu. The next morning we were up super early to meet our tour group. We chose to do a proper packaged tour through Bus-About for a few days to alleviate the driving & organisational strain. The group was mostly made of Australians & Kiwis so there was a good atmosphere. Our guide was Richie & as we travelled he shared heaps of interesting snippets about the area. The bus was quite comfortable & we had excellent views.

 

Our first stop from Rome was Pompeii- we saw Naples from a distance & weren’t that upset that we weren’t stopping there- very industrial, cluttered looking. We had a guide through Pompeii & walked around for about an hour & three quarters looking at the site. After seeing Hierapolis & Ephesus in Turkiye, Pompeii didn’t hold much allure for us- it just seemed do be a very dusty place with walls.

Pompeii ruins

 

Driving along the coastline towards Sorrento was absolutely thrilling- we are definitely water babies! Seeing the ocean brought back a great sense of home. We stopped just by a swimming area, looking down on it. The ocean is a fantastic turquoise colour but there wasn’t much sand to speak of. Decks like wharves were built out into the ocean, & strung between the decks were rows of plastic reclining seats. Initially I thought this was really strange but as there wasn’t much of a sandy shore it made sense.

Sorrento

 

The bus then dropped us off at Camping Santa Fortunata. Just as it pulled away I realised I had left our Venetian mask & a bag of soft tissues on the shelf above our seats. I was sure we’d get it back but quite upset at the idea of having to use rough tissue until it’s return. Our noses were quite tender from our colds.

 

Once settled into our accomodation we joined our group for a wander through Sorrento, a taste of Limoncello & then dinner at Il Leone Rosso (The Red Lion). Bodra & I had already had a taster of Limoncello- which is this liquer similar in appearance to sunlight liquid. We were quite happy with the cream Limoncello- we have brought a big bottle of it home & have guzzled half of it already…

 

After dinner we had a wander through Sorrento & caught the end of a Catholic procession through Tasso Square. We also saw some rugby at an English pub & a wedding group.

Santa Maria Procession

 

The following day we caught a ferry to the Island of Capri on the South side of the Bay of Naples- we had a fabulously sunny day for it & no fear of sunburn. Firstly we had a cruise around the Isle & experienced the famous blue grotto- Grotta Azzurra. This is a tiny sea cave where the sea appears to be lit from underwater so you can see this bright blue colour. There is another opening to the grotto, enturely underwater, which has a limestone bottom. Sunlight is allowed in which allows the water to be lit from below.

 

Getting into the grotto was a bit of a surprise (& a gouge). We were put into little row boats with a guide, who pulled the boat into the grotto using a chain fixed to the cave entrance. We had to lie down as low as we could go during the entry through the tiny space & then we were surrounded by the beautiful light. I really wanted to have a swim in the water, but when I tried to ask permission from the guide he ignored me. There were quite a few other boats in there & the guides all talked loudly amongst themselves, some singing. I just wanted to be quiet & enjoy the atmosphere- I should’ve jumped in, the water was very warm.

Into the Blue Grotto

 

We had a wee wander around Marina Grande & picked up some rolls for lunch- hard rock-like rolls, with yucky mozarella cheese. I just ate the olives, I couldn’t get my mouth around the husk of bread. I found a beautiful psychedelic shell for Michelle & the boys. Then we caught the furnicular to Capri town & made our way through the village alleyways to the Giardini Augustos. We could take in tremendous views of the coast below.

 

Then we had a hair-raising bus ride to Anacapri- the narrow road winds precariously up the cliffs & there are all sorts of crazy drivers willing to overtake on blind corners. From there, Bodra & I took a chair-lift to Mount Solaro- the highest point of the island. I was quite nervous hopping on the chair-lift as it is a single seat & it would’ve been quite easy to get a good swing on. Some parts were quite far above the ground too, with bone-breaking rocks beneath my dangling feet. Drink bottles, hats & shoes were amongst the many sacrifices to the Mountain.

Bus ride along the side of the mountains…

 

At the top I noticed as I gazed out that there was this line of grey cloud above the horizon- perhaps polution & what protects us from the UV rays? Bodra & I enjoyed a Peroni there & picked up a few postcards. There were a few Italian people singing & laughing which made me feel more positive & relaxed on the journey down.

The top of Mount Solaro

Another view from the top

 

On our last day of our tour we were to travel along the Amalfi Coast back to Rome. We were reuinited with our mask & tissues so were in a celebratory mood. Our first stop was the seafront town of Amalfi where we had bakery delight for breakfast. I found a wonderful fish tile for Michelle & the boys & Bodra found a supermarket selling M&Ms. We sat on the steps to the Amalfi Duomo while finishing off our breakfast, chatting with a couple from our tour- Juddy & Terence. Then Bodra & I headed down to the beach & had a swim. I was pleased to see little fishies in the water so I knew it wouldn’t be too polluted.

 

Back on the bus our journey continued inland & upwards towards the village of Ravello, which has reputedly the best views of the coast, 335 metres above sea level, high in the mountains. There is also a music festival held there every year where a stage is built overlooking the precipitous coastline. Richie told us about a Drugs ‘n’ Wine store so Bodra & I dashed there to do some wine tasting. We bought some very expensive & most delicious red wine & dessert wine which we are saving for a special moment. I’ve never had a wine experience like that before, where even the smell just warms you so much & tantalises your senses. I’d love to have a glass now, or maybe just a sniff…

 

We were driven through the back of Mount Vesuvius where Richie told us about the political situation in Italy & soon we were back in Rome, eager to get into our final accomodation. We were met by two guys who helped us with our baggage & showed us to our rooms- I was a little bit concerned as they were dressed rather casually & it felt like we were being taken to an apartment block. Trastevere Station ended up being the best B&B. The rooms were really clean, lovely ensuite & comfy matresses. Mum, Bodra & I went out for dinner- Dad wasn’t up to it so stayed behind. He didn’t miss out on much- my pasta was not cooked al dente & Mum & Bodra’s meals were fairly dismal.

 

The following day Mum & Dad let Bo & I sleep in so we didn’t see each other until the evening. We explored all over Rome, mostly by foot & were extremely tired by the end of it. There was an intention somewhere to take a hop-on hop-off bus tour but we weren’t in sync with the buses schedule. Bodra & I caught a Tram to Circo Massimo but got off too late. We tried to find some lunch but I couldn’t bare anymore of the Italian fare. I settled for a couple potato crisps.

 

We walked down the side of Circo Massimo, an ancient hippodrome (course for horse & chariot racing), then along the River Tiber which is quite polluted & smelly. This led us to Capitoline Hill where I had a good wander around the Piazza taking in the marble sculptures & Bodra tried to find some shade.

 

From here we soon found ourselves at the Vittorio Emanuele Monument which is an enthralling marble monstrosity shaped like a typewriter or wedding cake. I read the rules just before we went in- “It is absolutely forbidden: To throw rubbish or to dirty the monument- To eat or to drink- To sit or to lie down on the steps- To climb up the seat or the banisters- To make noise- To have a bad behaviour- To lead animals- To smoke.” Guards patrolled the area with whistles & every so often you would hear them blow. As I was taking pictures of the eternal flames flanking the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I heard the whistle coming near me, but it was Bodra being told off for sitting down- heheh!!

 

The view of Rome was pretty spectacular from the very top of Il Vittoriano- we rode an elevator to the topmost terrace & could see glimpses of domes & facades of the churches- the view to the South showed us the Colosseum, the Roman Forum (which holds the Basilica of Maxentius, the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Vesta & the Temple of Dioscuri), & the open grassy valley of Circus Maximus- the legendary setting of the rape of the Sabines & where chariot races would attract spectators by the thousands.

 

To the West we could see Michelangelo’s dome of the Vatican basilica next to the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums, the dome of St. Agnes in Agone in Piazza Navone with it’s two bell-towers, the Chiesa del Gesu` (Church of the Holy Name of Jesus), & the spherical vault of the Pantheon- the mausoleum of the first Kings of Italy.

 

To the North we could see the Trident- three streets of via del Corso, via Leonina (now Ripetta) & via Paolina (now Babuino)- Collegio Romano, the Column of Marcus Aurelius, the Flamino obelisk, the Piazza Colonna, Palazzo Bonaparte where Napoleons mother lived, the Trevi Fountain,& the statue of St Peter standing on the summit of Trajan’s column.

 

Next stop was the Trevi Fountain for an obligatory photo. There were swarms of tourists there so we didn’t get much of a gaze. Heaps of people flicking coins for luck.

 

We found ourselves at the Spanish Steps soon but they weren’t much compared to the marble typewriter. Our tummies were grumbling as it was the middle of the afternoon & I was yet to eat anything substantial, so the hunt for dinner was on. After getting some non-stick postage stamps from an unhelpful Italian woman at a magazine shop, we decided to use our Rome Lonely Planet to find tasty vegetarian food that wasn’t Italian.

 

I don’t know how many restaurants we tried & failed- the info in the book was already old so some of the restaurants were no longer there or changed hands. The first restaurant we went to- Margutta Vegetariano- wasn’t ready to serve food for another couple hours or so- we should’ve stayed there & just had drinks as it looked like a fabulous restaurant with a Jazz theme & vegetarian cuisine. But we were starving…

 

So we kept hunting- Naturist Club L’Isola, Le Pain Quotidien, Le Cornacchie, Surya Mahal…We walked for over an hour hunting for dinner all over Rome & we were defeated. We finally ended up at a nice enough restaurant serving Italian food (yuck!). I had a salad with walnuts & gorgonzola cheese in it… Bodra was happy…

 

Back to our B&B. Mum & Dad had had a similar day & ended up having chocolate for dinner.

 

Our final day in Rome we all decided to catch a bus out to Tivoli- 40km out of Rome. Our breakfast was served across the road from our B&B in a cafe- pain au chocolat & coffee. We caught a tram, metro then bus & soon we were far away from Rome- YAY!!! We soon oriented ourselves & found Villa d’Este which has landscaped gardens dedicated to fountains. Loads of space, no queues, just water, plant life & peace. Bodra & I saw a little lizard enjoying some sun. We found the Organ Fountain but it wasn’t performing… later on we heard it so rushed over to it but it was over before we got there.

 

We had a so-so lunch on the balcony of the Villa made better by the Peroni. Then on to Villa Gregoriana which was quite tricky to find without much of a map or any signs… but we got there! I’d been hanging out for this place- a park with waterfalls, grottos, chasms, green hills & the remains of the Temple of Vesta.

 

Back to Rome via bus. This took much longer than we thought possible due to crazy traffic where there are no rules, people just go when they can which means, no one goes. We went one kilometre in one hour… really insane.

 

Bodra & I were more resolute about finding satisfying dinner & had settled on Il Guru- an Indian restaurant. We were all very pleased to find it, we were pretty much the only ones there & had a wonderful meal & wine. Mum & Dad were really happy too. Afterwards we had a nice diverted walk back to the tram via the Colosseum lit up at night.

 

The next morning we were up before 5am I believe, pulling our bags to a taxi for the airport. We were back at our apartment in Reading before lunchtime without much stress at all.