The First Decent Weather Since Spring, Part 2: Saturday 1:00 - 5:00

Eventually I hauled Gary out of bed and we went to the zoo for the first time in a few years. All new zoo.  They've rearranged everything so it is possible to go through the zoo and not set eyes on what they now call "Historic Hill." You have to make a special detour to visit the (admittedly historic) flight cage.

Okay, on closer analysis of the old and new maps, it seems what I did was skip the entire east half of the zoo. I suppose I just thought the giraffes were in storage. That may account for the "jamais vu" feeling.

However, these things really were new:

New rides. A motion simulator and a carousel. Rides? At a zoo? I suppose the little kids need rides to avoid seeing the African elephants swat their massive penises with their massive feet and trunks. I don't remember seeing the crazy sex party that is the chimp exhibit. What I remember from chimp house on "Historic Hill" is a discreet sign asking "What is wrong with their butts?"

Entrance. We were both very proud of all the new zoo features, such as the bridge to get in dedicated to the boy who was killed by the traffic at the entrance. (I assume that's what the dedication was about; perhaps some very very wealthy boy has his "own" zoo now and a plaque to prove it.)

Lines. As soon as we found the new sea lion exhibit was sold out, we decided to take a stand against anything that required tickets or lines. Screw you, puffins and penguins. It allowed us to keep believing our zoo is free.

A bench. I don't know how old this bench is, but it was a shock to plop down, glance at the bench, and see that I formerly worked for the bench donor. I'm familiar with seeing TeddyJ's name plastered all over everything, but this was the first time I saw something donated by Elliott.

(Gary is surprised too.)

* Perhaps all I need to sate my hunger for new experiences is to go through the grocery starting on the opposite side.

Comments

[Caroline]

Backwards through the grocery store? You are living on the edge!

Check this out for an idea:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/

[TheQueen]

Caroline - did you check out those museums? Those are weak museums. Like, have you ever been to the Dog Museum? Then again, sometimes a museum can surprise you, like the shoe museum in Toronto.

[Big Dot]

I think a shoe museum sounds wonderful. There's a handbag museum in Amsterdam that's well worth visiting, if only for the handbag made from a toad. With matching shoes.
http://www.airfrance.com.hk/HK/en/local/travel-guide/cultural/amsterdam_handbag_museum.htm

[Hattie]

One of my favorite museums ever is the Bata Shoe Museum in Montreal. They have quite a selection of Lady Di's size nines. Or did when I was there a number of years ago.
I like our zoo here. They have a few animals that are usually asleep. The grounds are very nice, though.

[TheQueen]

Big Dot - The link in your article just took up half an hour of my day, woman. And taught me a bit of Norwegian.
Hattie - Close - Toronto. That's my favorite museum. Lady Di wasn't cold yet when I went there.

[Friend #8]

Maybe it's a different "Sue and Howie?"

[TheQueen]

Friend #8 - no, they were somehow affiliated with zoo muckety-mucks. One time all the Elliott employees wrnt to the zoo (with kids), got to see special backstage places like the place the gave the orangutans gynocological exams, and we fed an elephat bananas.

[Friend #8]

Did the gyno exams take place at the same time as the banana feeding?

[TheQueen]

Friend #8 - I have an awful image involving a repurposed banana right now.