Calgary Zoo and Happy Birthday Claire

We went to the zoo today. The feeling of driving to the zoo and needing to remember to call my sister felt familiar, and sure enough, I just looked back and went went to the zoo last year on her birthday. So a Happy 25th Birthday to Claire. Wow - she's getting old! :o)

A quick trivia question to get things rolling. This is how I started the day; where was I and what was I ordering? "Yes, I'd like two large double doubles" (You may need to live or have lived in Canada to answer this.)

So here we are at the zoo for an opening stand-next-to-this-tree-and-hug-your-brother shot.


The Bow River in the morning sun.

The flamingos. Appropriately standing among the large conifers. Because when you wake up and look out of your tent in the morning around here, it's likely you'll see a flock of flamingos. :o)

A chameleon. I think these are very cool creatures. If ever I hear, "Mommy, can we get a snake? Pleeeeeeeeeease???" I may try to steer them in this direction, though I have no idea whether it's even legal or practical to have one. Maybe we should stick with fish.

And, WOW, were these some eye-poppingly huge bats. They were like nine-month-old human babies hanging upside down with wings.


The little monkey in the bottom right and Andy entertained each other for a moment.


Gorilla.
We stopped at the playground, and Sam came tearing around the corner, stopped abruptly, and said, "Hey, let me take you guys' picture like that!" Snapped the shot, handed the camera back, and went running off again.


Kangaroos! See the joey poking it's little head out?

And here's my little joey.
Just sittin' around.
Emu from above.

Red Panda.
These are the chunkiest prairie dogs I've ever seen. Otto thought maybe they were storing up for winter??

Sam rubbing the Elephant Buddha's tummy for good luck.


We rounded off the day with an early supper at a Persian restaurant on Edmonton Trail. Haven't had basmati rice made like that since Anush's mom's at his graduation party umpteen years ago, with those tangy little red berries on top - YUMMMMM!!! I should have taken a picture of that rice, but I dove right in and didn't think about it until it was all in my stomach.