Martina tells me about a group sighthound walk in Vienna and asks whether the three of us want to join.
Why not, really? The long-legged sprinters have a calming effect on Che, and Murphy is head over heels for Tiago & Co anyway. I say yes and head over to her place.
All 6 in one car...
We hop out of my little car and into Martina's SUV, packed in as follows:
- 1. row: the owners
- 2. row: the Frenchies
- 3. row: the Galgoletten
So off we go on this sunny summer Sunday to join a walk with some friends from the Galgo in Not association. Meeting point is at the Lusthaus at 10:00. Everyone is on time, and after hello kisses and sniff-and-greet hellos we set off at a leisurely pace.
Yeees!! Leisurely — because when sighthounds aren't chasing a hare or some other creature, they're actually quite relaxed by nature.
Who's joining us?
A group of 18 dogs and their owners makes its way along the Hauptallee.
13 Galgos, 3 Greyhounds and 2 French Bulldogs taking Vienna by storm... well, not exactly: everyone behaves impeccably, with no issues involving passers-by, other dogs or horses. One or two of the Galgos — and Murphy too — are allowed off lead for a while because they don't stray from the group and come back reliably when called. The young Frenchie is in his element, trotting back and forth among the giants with his little chest puffed out with pride.
Even though dogs are a perfectly normal sight in the Prater, we still turn heads and spark conversations as a big pack. Usually it's Martina with Atlas and Tiago who draw all the looks when the Hundereise team is out. Today it's Che and Murphy who stand out, because they don't quite fit the picture among this crowd. Comments like "Oh, they'll grow into proper sighthounds!" and the like are par for the course. We find it hilarious.
Where are we walking?
From the Lusthaus we turn left and make our way along a gravel path with a wide strip of meadow alongside, heading towards the A23. There we keep right until we cross the Hauptallee with the lower Heustadlwasser beside us. We continue along a shady forest track along the Aspernallee to the pilgrimage church Maria Grün. Just before the Krebsenwasser we cut across the meadow and head towards the Lusthauswasser. The crowning finish is a sandy little cove with easy access — it tempts nearly every member of the group in for a refreshing splash.
We really enjoyed this lovely outing to the Wiener Prater in such great company — and we'll definitely be joining again next time!
