first time at the ZOO

Today we wanted to go for a walk at a park and in a fun neighborhood with shops and cafes, but on the way, we took the wrong turn and ended up at the ZOO. We changed our plans and decided to go. It was a good day to be at the ZOO. It rained a couple of times, but very briefly. The rest of the time it was cold but sunny. Not many people around either until it started to get dark and families with kids came in to see the ZOO decorated with Christmas lights all over the place. I had never really explored the Oregon ZOO. We had gone there numerous times to see concerts on their outdoor stage, but never to really look at the animals.

The sea otter, sea lions, and monkeys were my favorites! The sweetest ones were the Gibbon monkeys. There were two, a black and white one that were friends. At one point one of them gave the other a little shoulder rub! The white one made a funny whistling sound. I immitated it and whistled at the monkey and the monkey whistled back at me! I briefly contemplated hiding in the bushes and staying past closing time, then sneaking in to the cages during feeding, and lurring the cute monkeys home with me. But I already have two monkeys at home. That would be too many monkeys.

The penguins were cute too. I made a motion with my hand, calling the penguins over to us, and two of them swam right up to my hand. Only the glass seperated us. Maybe they thought I was going to feed them.

The most beautiful animal was the leopard. We got to see him up close. His fur was so clean, plush and vibrant, so perfect that one could have mixed him up with a stuffed animal.

The most disturbing animals were the naked mole rats and bats, who were hovering around fresh bananas, melon, and broccoli they were just fed. The naked mole rats were all moving around in one big pile, rubbing their ugly flesh against each other. Their orgy disgusted me. I had to run out of that smelly pavilion fast.

Jonah watched the monkeys, fish, sea otters, and sea lions too the same way he watched us eat lunch. He seemed the most entertained by the kids running around the ZOO.

Here is a picture of Tim, Jonah and one of the sea lions, who kept swimming by playfully, as if to brush up against us.