http://goo.gl/maps/742L7
The second tourist attraction we visited in town was the Belfast Zoo. We took one of Watson's new friends with us, Grace, who you'll see in lots of the pix below. It was a cool day when we left, but it warmed up and we ended up being a bit overdressed. The zoo is super-hilly, too, so we got pretty tired pushing and carrying around Jamie!
Highlights included (pix of them below):
1) the playground inside the zoo - why don't all zoos do that?
2) watching the elephants and giraffes eat (hay and bananas)
3) babies - spider monkeys and sea lions
4) being about 3 feet from a sloth
5) getting really close to a WILD fox who was really wanting to get out of the woods and lie in the sun
6) a monkey "rushing" Watson and Grace - it was really interested in them and came right up to the window to look at them - and a turkey gobbling at them REALLY loudly when they didn't expect it (incited screams)
7) for W and G, getting to choose how to spend 5 pounds each (~$7.50) at the gift shop as we left (W chose a stuffed animal (big surprise) and a chocolate lolly pop)
Oh, and a funny thing (to us)... We met Grace and her family the 2nd week of Aug because they were on holiday before then. Basically, a week later, her parents were a-ok with us taking her to the zoo! I don't know anyone in the states who would have felt comfortable with that...we hadn't even yet been inside their house (except Watson) or exchanged phone numbers! The 3 families on our street we've gotten to know are all super-friendly and trusting - not sure if everyone is like that here, or if we just lucked out, but it has been nice. And, it has been great for Watson!
Now for some pix!
Babies...
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| Gotta love zoos with playgrounds! |
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| This guy was seriously about 2 inches from us! Just plexi separating us... |
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| For those of you who don't know, the sloth is one of my FAVORITE animals. When in Panama, I spent days searching for them in the canopy... Could not BELIEVE my luck in being so close to one here. |
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| Very hilly part of town - basically in the foothills/mtns. |
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| This was the view walking down the long driveway from the Zoo to the bus stop - is the Belfast Lough. |
Holy hot tamales, Batman. This is so cool! I *love* all the photos; wicked snappy although the spider sculpture is pretty freaky. Apropos for this time of year - here in the US, anyway.
ReplyDeleteSuper-congrats on your sloth encounter. The fox is way awesome, too.
No, your baby is getting way too big. I love me a sloth.
ReplyDeleteHe's SOOOOO close to walking!
DeleteWhy is it that so many people like sloths, I wonder? Do we all wish we could be sloth-like (just hanging around all day, moving at a VERY slow pace)? ;)