Hot Day at the Zoo

Marina and I slept in this morning. And after a leisurely start to the day, we decided to go to the zoo this afternoon. It was a beautiful day but very hot. We found a place to park quickly and went right in.

We started at Predator Ridge where we found four lions resting in the shadows of their exhibit. Right next to that was an African wild dog sleeping right next to the glass. Marina loved looking at it. We walked along and saw the cheetah, kangaroos and water buffalos.

We stopped for lunch at our favorite barbecue place. After she ate, Marina wanted ice cream. She chose the Oreo flavor. Then we headed back through the zoo.

We went through the Asian exhibit because Marina wanted to see the otters. When we arrived at their enclosure they were all sleeping. It was adorable! Across the way was the fishing cat. We rarely see them because they tend to hide, but today it was prowling around. We watched it for a while and it kept eyeing us, but with each pass through the exhibit, it got closer to us. It never came up to the glass as we were hoping.

We next saw two elephants that seemed to be messing around with each other. It was fun to watch them tussle with each other. We headed to the tiger exhibit but none of them were outside, so we went on to see the seals and then the sea lions. One sea lion was barking at something, but what it was we never saw.

By the time we made the full loop around the zoo we were both very hot and ready to get out of the sun. So we went home to cool off.

The King Has Returned

This evening we invited one of Marina's friends to join us seeing The Lion King. We ordered dinner and settled into watch the movie. It was much like the original animated version, but the animals looked more realistic. Of course, the girls loved them!

We all enjoyed the movie. After it was over, we headed home. The girls went into Marina’s room and put themselves to bed.

The Lion King Has Returned

Marina and I really enjoyed The Lion King when we saw it four years ago. So we were excited to see it again at the when it returned. The first time we saw it we arrived a bit late and missed the opening song “The Circle of Life.” So I made sure we had plenty of time today.

Marina decided she wanted to dress like a cat for the show. She didn’t have any animal print dresses, so we tried a shirt of mine. It worked pretty well with leggings. Then she added her headband with cat ears to complete the look. She also brought her baby Simba toy we got at Disney World.

We were a bit early for the show, so we settled into our seats to wait. A family with kids about Marina’s age were next to us, so she was happy to chat with them.

The show didn’t disappoint us. Marina was particularly interested in the lionesses, especially Nala. She was also fascinated by the puppets used throughout the show.

At the end, we had the opportunity for her to have her picture taken with one of the lionesses. Of course she wanted to do that! The actress loved Marina’s outfit and told her she looked ready to be in the show. I think that was exactly the reaction she wanted.

Lego Zoo

The zoo has an exhibition of Lego animals on display which Marina and I have not seen yet. Today the weather was beautiful, so we decided to go after church today.

The parking lot was very crowded but we were fortunate to find one quickly. Inside the zoo we picked up a map for all the Lego displays and some drinks. Our plan was to find all the Legos animals. We started by seeing the giant lion made of Legos near the lion enclosure. We walked over to the Feline House and saw the snow leopard Lego set up outside it.

While we were in the polar exhibit, the sea lion demonstration was going on. So we stayed to watch. A Lego rose and crane were on display in there. We also went through the tropical exhibit . We looked at the fish and Komodo dragons and saw the Lego orchid.

We needed a rest, so we bought some kettle corn and sat down for a little while. Then we took a ride on the carousel. Marina chose the black panther because it reminded her of Jasmine.

The day was hot and we were getting tired, so we looked for the rest of the Legos. We saw a fox and hare, bumblebee, hummingbird and butterfly. We wandered through the bird house and then went into the Elephant Passage to find the last two Legos. There was a dragonfly near the elephants and a lily pad with a koi set up on the water.

By this time, we were hot and very tired. It was time to go home.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Last summer, we saw a local children's theater production of The Snow Queen. The same group was presenting The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this month. So we decided to see it.

I started to explain the story to Marina and she said, "That sounds like Narnia!" So apparently she already knew a little something going into the show. Marina brought a lion along with her - her stuffed baby Simba toy.

The performance started a bit late. Marina talked with the boys behind her until it began. Once it started, Marina was completely engaged. The show was as long as a movie without an intermission, but she remained focused the whole time.

Once the play was over, the cast greeted us in the lobby. Marina was particularly excited to meet the young lady dressed as a unicorn. We also spoke with the actress playing Lucy, who was also in last year's production of  The Snow Queen. We also admired the costume and performance of the actress who portrayed the White Witch.

When we came home, Marina decided to read the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I read the book as a child too. I hope she loves it as much as I did.

Spring at the Zoo

We wanted to go to the zoo a few weeks ago, but it was very busy that day, we we changed our plans. Today we anticipated big crowds again, but this time, we left home earlier. It was busy, but at least we were able to find a parking place. Since Marina had been bringing her American Girl doll. McKenna, along so much, she felt it was Julie's turn to join us. Naturally they wore matching dresses.

Marina spent some time looking at the map in the front of the zoo. We picked up a paper copy and Marina pointed out everything she wanted to see. She wanted to see the Tropical Exhibit, so we headed there. Along the way we saw the lions, zebras, hyenas, giraffes and tigers.

The tropical animals were fun to look at. Some of the snakes were pretty active, something you don't see often. Marina also enjoyed looking at the fish and crocodile. We looked in on the sea lions as we headed to lunch. All three of the sea lions were sunning themselves.

After lunch, we started checking out the rest of the zoo. Marina took a seat on a rock and a friendly Canadian goose approached her. I think it was expecting to be fed.

Marina was disappointed that the carousel was being refurbished, but she settled for a ride on the train instead. After our ride, Marina looked on the map and pointed out the lorikeet enclosure. We bought a cup of nectar and Marina went to feed them. She loved it when they drank from her cup.

Next we went into the bird house. In one room we found a bird sitting on the bench and it didn't mind when Marina sat next to it.

After that, we were both really tired and the zoo was even more crowded, so we headed home. But not before getting ice cream!

Boo at the Zoo

Marina and I got up and around early for Boo at the Zoo today. It's a popular event and we wanted to get there before it got too crowded. We were fortunate to find parking right away before heading inside. Naturally, she wore her Merida costume. She wanted to wear her wig, but she ended up taking it off and going without it much of the day.

When we arrived, Marina had a choice between a giraffe bag and a zebra bag. She chose the giraffe. She took the map to locate the trick or treat stations around the zoo. She loved finding all the booths and getting candy from each one. She politely said, "Trick or treat!" at each station.

We didn't see a lot of animals. We got a good look at the penguins and elephants along our route. Usually the hippos are in their swimming pool, but today one was walking around the enclosure. Then it walked over to a zoo keeper who sprayed a hose into its mouth. We found that pretty funny! The sea lions were playing around with each other, so we watched them for a while. The lions were also active, so we made sure to see them as well.

It wasn't our usual zoo trip, but we had a lot of fun!

Wild, Wild Life

We made plans with Mr. Chuck and Miss Judy to visit someplace new, a Wildlife Sanctuary not too far from home. We'd all heard of it, but hadn't been there. We had a bit of a drive on our way there, Marina listened to music on headphones while we drove, so she was pretty content on the ride in.

As we entered the parking lot, we could see some of the animals. There were bears, wolves and tigers checking us out as we drove in. Marina and Miss Judy were already excited.

The first enclosure we saw had two Grizzly bears inside. They wrestled for a while as we watched, then one got into the water tank and relaxed. Next we saw a group of tigers. Most of them were lying in the sun, but one was running around trying to play with the others.

The next area was filled with lions. We saw two lions walking in the distance and several lionesses were sleeping inside. Then we saw wolves. Several of the pack started running around and barking at each other. It was fun to see them playing. The black bear enclosure was bustling with activity. Two babies were wrestling around while most of the adults ate.

Further down were several prides of lions. A volunteer showed Marina how to find the pride's leader. (We all learned it's the lion with the darkest mane!) We saw a new tiger habitat with a fancy pool and waterfall and the tigers who will soon play there. Marina was especially excited by the white one.

By the time we reached the end of the sanctuary, we were all tired and hungry. So, we stopped for a picnic lunch Miss Judy packed. As we headed back to the car, we watched the tigers and Grizzly bears a little longer. As we went back to the car, Marina said, "We should come here more often."

Take Me to a Zoo ...

Today was unseasonably warm, so Marina and I decided to go to the zoo. Apparently few others had that idea, because it was nearly deserted. But the animals were much more interesting than they are on hot summer days.

We started out looking at the lions. The two males were right by the glass viewing windows. It was so interesting to see the up so close. We were also able to see the African wild dogs and tigers as they lounged near the windows.

We went on to the polar bears. One was very active and even stood up near the window in front of Marina and some other kids. We went inside to view the snakes and fish. Then we watched the sea lions underwater for a while.

We walked through the zoo to get to Bird World. It was almost empty, so the birds were everywhere. One even stood right in front of us, calling to the others.

As the afternoon progressed it got cooler. So we headed home. It had been a really fun day with the animals.

It's A Zoo

It was a beautiful day, so Marina and I decided to go to the zoo. This time, she took her camera with us so she could take pictures of her own. She was particularly excited about seeing the tigers today.

When we arrived, we saw a demonstration about the opossum. First, we heard about them, then one was brought out for the kids to pet. Marina was excited to do that.

It was a hot day, so most of the animals were lying around in the sun (or a bit of shade if they could find it). We saw the lions, wild dogs and hyenas on our way to the tigers. When we arrived at the tiger enclosure, they were resting, as most of the animals were. But all five of them were quite close to the viewing window. Marina was delighted. We watched them for a while and got some great pictures.

The sea lions were splashing around and Marina enjoyed watching the underwater window. We watched some storks for a while and went into Bird World. We watched the hippo for a while. Mostly, we saw the head bobbling in and out of the water. But at one point, the hippo opened her mouth wide and turned over in the water. Seconds later, we saw the feet and belly sticking out of the water. It was so funny!

Marina and I took our usual rides on the train and carousel and she played on the covered wagon for a bit. Then she was ready to head home. Funny, she walked around Disney World for eight days, but didn't want more than half a day at the zoo. Go figure!

A Day at the Zoo

This was supposed to be the last really hot weekend this summer. Marina and I decided to go to the zoo. When we arrived, she told me she wanted to see fish. So we went to the tropics exhibit where the fish are. She was interested in them, but she spent more time looking at the snakes. Who knew she liked snakes so much? But the tarantula really freaked her out.

We stopped for a snack near the sea lions. We had a nice view of them as they played in the water. It seemed like the four of them were chasing each other. It was fun to watch. The polar bears were in their pools. At the underwater viewing window, one was right in front. But Marina didn’t have much interest.

The zoo had a lot of new babies for us to see. We saw baby giraffes, a seal, mountain goat and a zebra. Marina loved them!

Because of the heat, many of the animals were lethargic, an exception was the brown bears. One of them kept following the other around the exhibit. Every once in a while it would agitate the other.

As usual, Marina took a ride on the carousel. This time she picked the cheetah to ride on - although she was hoping for a leopard!

Just before we left, we saw the lions. Two lionesses and a lion were resting right by the viewing window. Marina was eye to eye with a lioness! (A little disconcerting to a mom, I must say!)