Despite the intense heat, feeling sick and tired we decided to go to the zoo this afternoon. We were joined with my sister and niece which thrilled the kids. We agreed to move slowly and have no agenda which was really nice. Even though today children under 12 got in free (and we had free passes for adults) it wasn't busier than I remember any other day. We started our exploring in the kids Discovery Zone, which is a semi hands on area. Next was the splash pad and lunch. The kids loved getting wet, running from station to station. It looked as though the rain was heading our way, so packed up to ensure we saw at least one animal before leaving. It never rained, but the clouds were a welcome break from the intense heat.
The gorillas are always a huge hit with us. One of our favorite books is My friend Koko, about a gorilla who is taught sign language and demonstrates all the qualities they possess similar to humans. There was one male separated from the group, that deeply saddened the kids. This gorilla was huge, and because of his age was challenging the other male gorilla (who happened to be his father) for dominance over the group. The keepers are worried that one will but hurt in the process, so they are sending the son to another zoo. The kids are still talking about how sad that must be for all the gorillas, to see this one go.
The other big hit were the hippos. We watched two of them move around eating, swimming in the water, submerging themselves, making noises. The size of them was incredible. "I wouldn't want to canoe down the Nile and find one of them swimming under me!" I agree Ben!
It was a long, hot, fun day.
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