The Kid In Me . . .

When someone suggests, 'Let's go to the zoo!', I am always game.

The Calgary Zoo is the zoo of my childhood, chalk-a-block with fond memories.

So we were off... we still had some hours to play with before we had to be heading north for the reunion at CUC.

Marilyn took the morning off work so we made a party of three and enjoyed an early morning walk. If you were to take the main entrance to the Zoo on the north side of the Bow River you will come to a large egg shaped sculpture at the gates...

Stand inside the egg and you will get a whole new view of the world.

It is a magical start on your way into the Zoo.

Before you get your tickets look to your left to enjoy the metal sculptures of animals escorting you in.

Where all the little 'darlings' came from, I do not know, but it seemed that all elementary classes from southern Alberta had been let out for the day at the Zoo.

So, since the competition was very thick at the penguins home, I quickly got a couple 'snaps' and we were on our way. Love the penguins.

We sauntered past this old goat moulting his winter coat...

now, isn't he attractive?

We are particularly fond of owls around here so we were happy to see this fellow. He could whip his head around Very Quickly! If I were to try that, I would have to see a therapist... as in physio.

Not a great shot of the caribou but he was hiking over to his shelter to get out of the warm sun. Wonderful set of antlers, though.

Great wooly beasts, right?

And a very handsome kitty.

Nothing quite like Alberta lilacs for colour and scent.

We walked through the aviary but the only photo worth anything was a nest. At least it sat still.

Nice roof... but I wonder what all it harbours among those reeds?

From stem to stern these rhinos were awfully cute. Of course, they were dozing and behind a fence so no threat to me.

Handsome fellow...

And a very lazy King of the Jungle, snoozing with his ladies.

Extraordinary flamingos... colouring out of this world.

I am not the only one who loves this happy elephant...

It was a warm day; what can I say, the wart-hogs were all played out from the sunshine.

And of course, we cannot miss the gorgeous tigers. They started off very aloof, over on the other side of their enclosure but before we left they romped over to say hello, rolled around on the grass and then calmly walked off again. Great beasts. They know how to play their audience.

 This fellow heard the click of my camera and looked at me very intently... 'not impressed', he said.

See what I mean about the Happy Elephant? Sweet photo.

Even the Hutteritte kids got a field trip today.

To end our trip to the zoo we had to find this dinosaur. Both Sherwin and I have somewhere in our files, photos of us as children with our photos taken in this very spot. Now this relic is at the back side of the zoo, surrounded with weeds and nobody seems to care. He no longer is the focal spot of the park.

There is more Alberta trip to come. In the meantime, be well.