Photoessay #830 - Zoo

Today we took Melina to the zoo. Ilana came with which worked out great. We don't often go to the zoo as it's SO expensive. When are kids were little, we would buy a pass (they were pretty cheap 15 years ago). Then, in the summertime, we would go just before closing and bring a picnic dinner. At closing time, they just don't let any new people in but you can stay as long as you want. Less people and animals more relaxed. Plenty of opportunity to run and make noise.

Even though it was borderline rainy plus Labor Day, today was a great day to go as it really wasn't too crowded. We saw everything, no problem. In fact we DID see everything. To parapharase Arlo Guthrie, we say every animal and there was no animal left unseen. Maybe a few monkeys. 3 hours plus on the move; we had brought a lunch (thank you Dennis for carrying it) which we ate on the run (ham and cheesse sadnwiches, rasberries, grapes, root beer and some old girl scout cookies we never got around to eating. Melina enjoyed it a bunch, especially the Where's Waldo aspect. You've got too old grandparent eyes gazing into the enclosure, looking for the whatever it might be. You can't see it but the sharp-eyed eight year old can say "There's the (lizard, otter, hippo, ocelot), whatever_!" And maybe then we can see it. Or not.

Sone highlights include, the brown bears up close, lots of real pretty birds and a surprise giraffe crossing. Also raptors, new penguin exhibit, rain forest and little lecture on hippos.

Picture shows Melina pointing something out which we're missing and also Melina having the opportunity to feed some parakeets. Unclear what that was about, a rather drab room with a bunch of parakeets and other birds and, for a buck, you could buy a popsicle stick with some bird seed that you can feed to the birds. Melina liked that a lot.

It truly is a zoological garden with a tremendous emphasis on beautiful and appropriate plants. Haven't been there in years (seen the entrance price, yikes, do NOT look). I particularly enjoyed the north country area, all of the landscape seemed so familiar. Hard to believe you are really in Wallingford experiencing all of the different environments.

Afterwards, we found an ice cream place I had heard about, Molly Moons, in Wallingford. I had salted caramel icecream, Ilana had lavendar lemon sorbet, very tasty.

Takes all day and we are TIRED. Off to a team meeting