The Zoo

It's amazing how nostalgia works.  I have recurring dreams where I am in the San Diego Zoo or driving around it.  I have yet to interpret their meanings, but I was kind of freaked out wandering around the zoo, not remembering if my deja vu was due to dreams or actual memories of the times I went to the zoo before.  I was standing on the conveyor ramp and remebering when it was new, and that all of San Diego was excited about it. 

I wish I had season passes to this zoo.  It is still the greatest zoo in the world.  San Diegans are so proud of it and they all visit.  Huge cross section of people looking at animals.  Cranky sweaty babies climb all over their parents complaining, and then are focused and thrilled by the sight of tiny little gazelle walking through their enclosure.  "OOHHH! A Baby!!!" The zoo must be responsible for many cases of schizophrenia.

At the zoo, the best thing to watch is the animals interacting with other animals.  The Rhino Brothers were rhino wrestling so hard, they were bleeding.  There was a tired herding dog waiting to manage his petting zoo flock.  Capybaras and Tapers were hanging out together.  The best was kid and parent orangutan wrestling.

We saw Pandas.  Oh, they are so cool, and they look like we need to take care of them.  I was grateful for this zoo.  I really believe comfortable captivity is a good thing to protect endangered species.  There are over 400 California Condors in the wild again (up from 20) due to breading programs in the zoo.  There are Yellowstone bears that live there because their mom was teaching them how to gather food from human trash instead of teaching them how to fish.  Safer for people and bears that they have a home at the zoo.  Bad that people caused the situation in the first place.

Emily loved the Skyfari over the zoo, and all day long I regretted my hat.  Looks like a blue potato chip.

After the zoo, we road the kiddie train ("You know this is an amusement ride and it doesn't go anywhere, right?") and the Merry-go-round.  I am such a kid.  I was 4 in a little blue dress with ice cream dripping down my arm sitting in the wet spot of a freshly painted train seat.  "Leaving San Diego."  The Village artist colony was very cool.

Off to Coronado!  We drove over the bridge where Baxter was punted in Anchorman, and then walked on the beach of the Hotel Del Coronado.  Photographers were using the evening light taking family portraits on the rocks, and a guy made the MOST Excellent sand castle.

Dinner at The Fish Market.  We sat by the window and ate fresh catch.  Yum.

Asleep by 10 then off to Mexico!