me and my best friend in Ayvalik

As I walked in the early morning on the water front in Ayvalik, I drew the notice of a couple of dogs. Ayvalik seems to have a lot of both dogs and cats on the streets. My first instinct was to label them strays, but they seem to be more like community pets.

At any rate, these two happily followed me and my luggage. I had bought a couple if baskets in Maputo, and I was carrying those in a plastic bag with the same hand pulling my rollie. I felt a small tug, and when I looked back, one of the dogs was clearly viewing the baskets as food items.

I tried shooing them away, speaking sternly, even a knee to the chest, but there wasn't much other action at that time of the day and they weren't leaving, especially basket-eater.  I finally lost him by stopping for coffee and then slipping out another door when I left.

I'm pretty sure the sight of me and my luggage and the dogs in our strange little dance was funny. An odd little parade.