Denver Zoo!

I decided to take advantage of a beautiful February day and our new zoo membership (thanks Mom and Dad) and  convinced Stefano to go to the zoo.  I had to bribe him with a trip to Tom's Diner (kidding, he had a lot of fun too, he just won't admit it because it's not hockey-related).

By the way, Tom's Diner was the first restaurant we ate at in Denver.  We had just gotten into town after an 18 hour drive with a handful of other civil engineering students, and it was down the street from our hotel.  The conference was downtown at the former Adams Mark (now Sheraton), but as starving college students, we were staying about a mile away in one of the city's sketchier sections.  Not knowing this, and feeling invincible, we wandered down the street, past adult movie shops and liquor stores, and found Tom's Diner.  It's a classic diner, with overweight waitresses that call you "hun", vinyl seats, and greasy food.  And giant milkshakes in creative flavors like french toast or dutch apple pie.  I really think the giant milkshakes are what Stefano loves, but he also loves the memories that the place brings back.

What was I talking about?  Oh yeah, the zoo.  It was an awesome day for the zoo-- perfect weather and not too crowded.  Unfortunately about a third of it is closed off right now for construction, but we got to see plenty.  Ok, time for picture overload...

You can click on the pictures to view a larger version, and all my zoo pics are on my Picasa page.

The lions were being awesome and sitting out where we could see them.  And sitting up and looking pretty!  Except the sleeping lions I took pictures of later.

 

Hyena.  There was also one sleeping right next to the glass.  I had fun all day imagining how much Molly would be freaking out.

Free-range peacocks.  Either that or peacocks are native to Denver and no one told me.  And this one just happened to be hanging out at the zoo.

Don't move Stefano.  There's a lion on your shoulder and I don't want him to panic and claw you with his tiny claws.

Big horn sheep butt.  He was facing us but the jerk turned as soon as I went to take a picture.

Some goofy kids that were at the zoo.

Don't mind the meowing.  That was just Stefano trying to freak out the monkey.

This was a coati, and it was clearly labeled.  That didn't stop the parents next to me, when their kid asked what it was, from answering that it was either a rodent or an anteater.  I think listening to clueless people might be one of my favorite parts of going to the zoo.

Sleepy bears.  With REALLY big claws.

Lemur!  He kept staring at us through the glass.

A gorilla.

A gorilla and a statue.

Duck scratching his head with his foot.  Exactly like a dog.

Woody Woodpecker!

Cheetah.  Stretching.

The cheetah kept yipping.  I think he wanted someone to let him out so he could go eat the kangaroos next door.

Cat in a box.

Stupid leopard kept pacing so quickly I couldn't get a good photo of him.

Mama tiger.

Four baby (born at the end of May) tigers.  Very sleepy.

Giraffe!

The polar bear carried this carefully up from the ground to the top of a rock in his enclosure.

Arctic fox.  Such a cutie.

One of the otters kept doing backflips (once at about 7 or 8 seconds in, then again towards the end).  Also, the kids' conversation in the background is priceless.

At least ones of the camels is always laying like this.  I think he actually might not have bones at all, and the zoo keepers just move him around with a forklift every once in a while.

Stefano once again found the construction exhibit fascinating.

Red panda

Family of giraffes.

Teeny tiny deer (dik diks).  The little schoolgirls standing next to us were going on and on about what would happen when they grew up.  One said they'd let them go.  One said they'd feed them to the lions.  I didn't have the heart to tell them that they already were full grown, they were just little tiny animals.

Cutie!  Probably only about a foot and a half tall.

So that was the zoo.  I really need to figure out how to make these type of blog posts without spending two hours of them.  Sigh.  You better read it all and enjoy my witty captions.  Or I'll be hurt :'(