Last Sunday Joe and I took a trip to the Land of Irritated Parents and Cranky Children to view the various species of wildlife on display there.
The National Zoo. Yes, we saw a lot of animals too!
We got our first shock of the day when we parked in one of the lower lots: TEN BUCKS for an hour! It jumps up to $15 for up to three hours, and skyrockets to $20 for three or more. Thank God we made it out of there in 2 hours and 50 minutes. The Zoo itself is free, so I guess they have to make some money somehow.
(We didn't even pause to look at the refreshment or souvenir prices, although we're used to getting soaked for seven-buck beers at hockey games.)
There's a strategy to parking in the lower lot, because by the time you're ready to leave, it's all downhill.
We picked a pretty good day -- it was really crowded, but most of the animals were actually out. We saw lions and tigers, small mammals and great apes, big ol' birds and deadly snakes. I took a lot of pictures; here are some of the highlights:
A sleepy tiger:
An alert meerkat:
A curious little girl admiring a swimming turtle:
A flexible flamingo:
And a labyrinthine snake:
The people were every bit as fun to watch and listen to, especially when you overhear comments like "When I die, I don't want a traditional funeral" or "It's my wedding and I'll invite who I want!" and "What in the world is WRONG WITH YOU?"
*Two pats on the head to the first person who can identify the song and artist that contains the title.
