Photo TR: Zoo Edition

[printersdevil78]

I just finished up a full weekend including a trip to the newly revamped Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., and the Salisbury Zoological Park about a mile down the street from my apartment. I didn't take a camera to the museum, as I expect to return soon for a slower-paced, photo-friendlier visit. However, I did have it with me during the zoo excursion with my girlfriend, Kelly, and her daughter, Lauryn.

 

We began with lunch in the picnic area of the adjacent park. So yeah, that should get you started. Enjoy!

And I'll leave you with a quick plug: Temperatures in the low 60s today (after Friday's high of 24) allowed me to spend the day comfortably in my new TPR hoodie. Thanks, Robb and Elissa!

We did make one last stop to check out the park's fountain before our journey home. Fun fact: In the summertime this is a favorite alcohol storage area for the city's homeless population. The constantly circulating water keeps canned and bottled beverages relatively cool.

A view of the lovely Wicomico River, one of the ten most polluted small waterways in the United States. In fact, I've never seen it looking this non-brown. Looks like there's going to be a tax increase this year to cover the cost of blue food coloring!

We crossed the historic Salisbury City Park bridge to begin our long trudge back to the zoo (and our car).

The inventor of twisty slides is Lauryn's hero!

Of course, I was able to sneak in a few more after the long walk to the swings and slides on the other side of the park.

This is her "Would you PLEASE stop taking pictures of me!" face, followed shortly thereafter by a formal request. God help Robb when KidTums reaches this stage.

4-year-old + Capri Sun also = comic gold!

After the zoo, we returned to the picnic area for snacks. You have no idea what real comedy is until you've watched a 4-year-old trying to eat a Fruit by the Foot roll!

"This zoo rocks! Raise the roof!"

"I personally prefer sour cream and onion Pringles."

These Llamas are on loan from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Not really. But I told Kelly that, and she believed me!

"Yeah, even I've never heard of me!"

The next animal we're going to see is a Patagonian cavy.

They're only cranes now, but they're practicing to be 'mingos.

"Where's that girl with the Pringles?"

"Sigh. If I had applied myself, I could have been a high school football mascot."

The one on the far left is having an affair because he's no longer attracted to his wife. The rest are just waiting for the zookeeper to bring around the birdseed again.

Extensive research has proven that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.

According to Lauryn, these are called "'mingos." They're all babies of the big 'mingo (ostrich) we saw earlier. And they're pink because that's their favorite color. Collectively.

"Have you seen my brother, Jose? He hasn't written since he took that job at Disneyland in 1963."

This peacock is refusing to show its feathers until NBC brings back "Joey."

Is it just me, or does this bear look like its mother was a grizzly and its father was a raccoon?

Hey, I once ate a hamburger made out of your cousin. It was low in fat!

So I guess playing like a bison means sitting around in the dirt and wishing tourists would leave you alone?

Speaking of which....

Mosaic tile murals on site encourage kids to stay active while learning about animals at the adjacent zoo.

Turn, turn, turn!

Before entering the zoo, we stopped at Ben's Red Swings, a playground financed by local civic organizations and built in two days by hundreds of community volunteers in memory of a young child who died of cancer.

After lunch we fed some ducks and geese that happened to be swimming by. Good thing they liked cheddar cheese Pringles!

"Grrr! I'm a bear, and I'm gonna attack this applesauce!"

[Anfronee]

So i am just going to throw this out there. I was sitting in a sort of crowded hang out area on my campus and I was reading your trip report and I laughed out loud a couple of times and the guys at the table next to me kept looking at my like I was crazy. So I would like to thank you for now ruining my reputation at my college and making me forever known around campus as the 'the boy who laughs at his computer while he is sitting alone' boy.

[printersdevil78]

^Glad I could help! If you need anything else, just let me know

[TheRapidsNerd]

Interesting zoo visit and some comical captions. Enjoyed it and have sudden craving for Pringles. How strange...

 

If you're hunting more comedy gold, crawling around in the suspended hamster tubes at Chuck E Cheese's with the youngling is a must. Nothing like face planting after a slip between sections while the smell of Comet hangs in the air.

[esvadj]

I was at the zoo Saturday as well, I wanted to hit up the Circuit City in search of a deal before they closed. I really like the Salisbury zoo, you cannot beat the price. My son also loves that park, its almost impossible to pull him away from there.