— Mariano —

September 24, 2008 — We just returned from 5 days in Barcelona so I'm a bit late with this week's installment. Barcelona is a glorious city — I loved it! — but that's another story. Those of you who come here each week hoping to see a Great Dane, well, you are finally in luck. A 5-year-old harlequin named Mariano was seen strolling through Barcelona's "Plaza de la Seu" with his two owners. I approached them, handed over a DaDane business card and asked permission to photograph. Mariano viewed me with suspicion; he could tell I was a foreigner. His discomfort increased when a clown magically appeared. A street performer, the clown knew a good thing when he saw it. The presence of a Great Dane would almost certainly get him some added attention. His strategy worked. Mariano played along nicely — even though he didn't quite trust the clown — as curious tourists gathered to watch: