Bücher veröffentlicht von Alan Panattoni

Although Rio was first settled by the French in 1555 the Portuguese first visited the region in 1502 and eventually took hold of the area after defeating the French in 1567. Today, Rio is Brazil's second largest metropolis, after Sao Paulo, with some 6.3 million inhabitants. It is an iconic ocean front city with fabulous sandy beaches, bikini fit men and woman, a plethora of modest football fields, and several public parks. One of these parks is Flamengo, located alongside Flamengo Beach just across the bay from tourist bound Sugarloaf Mountain. In this beautiful beach front park you will find locals biking, jogging, playing football in the sand, cross fitting, and of course cats.Flamengo Park, also known as Aterro do Flamengo, which literally means "Landfill of Flamengo", is the largest leisure area in Rio de Janeiro and consist of nearly 300 acres. Throughout the acreage you will see dozens and dozens of cats with the majority of them being in good health. Most of the cats are friendly and will saunter up looking for a pat and cuddle. You will see them up in trees or cruising alongside the beach. The cats of Flamengo are looked after by dedicated locals who leave food and water for them through out the park, as well as, cushions for them to sleep on.

Old San Juan is the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico and it sits on a narrow bluff with the Atlantic Ocean to the north and San Juan Bay to the south. The old city is a modest eight by eight blocks and rest about 100 feet above the ocean. The city is enclosed by massive walls and has notable forts at its endpoints that were  constructed during Spanish colonial rule.  Today Old San Juan is vibrant with an abundance of shops, restaurants and cafes, historic sites and tree-shaded plaza. It is characterized by narrow blue cobblestone streets, beautiful Spanish colonial architecture and, of course, its cats.The cats of Old San Juan are as much apart of the city as the residents that call it home or the wave of tourist that crowd it. While visiting the old city you will encounter many cats, peeking out from beneath a car or scaring across the cobblestones. The cats weave their way through the narrows, people, cars, and cracks in doorways; entrances into abandon buildings that provide shelter.  From the shadows and gutters they dart, crossing the cobblestones in pursuit of a resident pigeon or their nemesis - the rodent. The cats are fed and cared for by many dedicated town residents and the local shelter Save a Gato.  Save a Gato will trap, neuter and release to help control the cat population, as well as, find homes for the cats through their adoption program.The Cats of Old San Juan are documented through these pages...........Enjoy! 

The Botanical Gardens or Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays is located in the heart of the Palermo District in Buenos Aires. It is named after the French landscape architect who immigrated to Argentina in 1889 and became Buenos Aires’s Director of Parks and Walkways in 1891. The triangular shaped garden, bordered by bustling city streets, was declared a national monument in 1996. It is 17.24 acres and has approximately 5,500 species of plants, shrubs and trees, as well as, a number of sculptures, greenhouses and, of course, cats.The cats that live in the Botanical Garden roam the acreage free and friendly. As a visitor you will see cats peeking out from behind statues, strolling down a dirt path, or curled up on a park bench. The vast majority of the cats are not feral to the gardens, but abandoned domestic cats. A group of dedicated volunteers, Asociacion Civil Gatos Botanico, care for the cats and will trap, neuter and release  to help control the cat population. They also find homes for the cats through their adoption program.

Lima is the capital of Peru and it is big and busy with a population of almost 10 million people. It offers tasty Peruvian cuisine, long beach fronts, and beautiful green parks. One of these parks is Parque Kennedy located in the heart of Miraflores, one of Lima’s main districts. Parque Kennedy occupies an area of approximately 240,000 square feet and was named in honor of President Kennedy for the aid he provided Peru during his presidency. In the park you can find everything from artisans, street food vendors, locals and tourist, beautifully manicured flowerbeds and of course cats.As the story goes, the first two cats were introduced 25 years ago by a priest from a Catholic Church located alongside the park grounds. Now, the park is populated by dozens of cats, some domestic and friendly and others feral and street tuff. The cats of Miraflores hangout like a local taking a stroll, you will see cats at foot asking for a bit of someones lunch, taking a nap on a tourist lap, perched in a tree, or peeking up and out of a flowerbed. A group of dedicated volunteers, Gatos Kennedy Oficial, care for the cats and will trap, neuter and release to help control the cat population. They also find homes for the cats through their adoption program.