Beaver-Rat!

look at that Beaver-Rat swim!  I watched him swim across the Arno!!!!

So, I know all of you have probably heard me mention Beaver-Rats.  If you haven't, let me explain.  Beaver-Rats (their real name is Nutria), are these giant Beavers, with giant Rat tails, that live in the Arno.  They swim along in the Arno. They sun themselves on the banks.  They relax all the time.  Whenever I walk to Cascine park, I see a few of them.  Actually, last sunday I saw 9 of them!  NINE!  How cool is that?  Three of them were cuddling.  Fred thought that they would freak me out, when I first told him about them.  I will admit, at first I was grossed out.  But the more time I spend near the Arno (and thus near Beaver-Rats), the more I have come to realize that Beaver-Rats are cute, cuddly, and pretty neat.  

So don't be alarmed if you see some when you come to Florence.  Remember they're friendly little (okay, not really little) creatures who just like relax in the sun, and don't be grossed out!

Em