Rambling Observations

Earlier this summer we purchased a membership to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, and we have tried several times (unsuccessfully) to plan a visit.  This weekend we finally made it.  This was not Sarah’s first visit to a zoo, we took her to the National Zoo last year, but I doubt she remembers last year’s visit much.  I doubt that she’ll remember this trip either, but she certainly enjoyed it more.

Louie and Matt each had a list of animals they wanted to see.  On the top of Louie’s list was Lemurs, followed by Skunks (which we did not see) and Koalas.  Matt on the other hand wanted to see the snakes so that he could talk to them ala Harry Potter.  We were successful in that venture and Matt spent the morning talking to every snake he saw in a raspy, hissy voice.

It was a pretty hot day, but the large animals seemed to be cooperating for the most part, the tiger was the only large animal that refused to come out and at least sleep with in plain view.  We got good looks at the Lions, Grizzly Bears, Baboons, Gorilla, and Siamang (apes), as well as the Elephants, Zebras, and Giraffes. We even got a good look at the alligator (who has never cooperated when I have been there).  Personally I enjoyed watching the Logger Head Sea Turtle attacking the Eel the best.

By mid-afternoon everyone was ready to call it a day. We made two last stops.  First to the bird house, where the penguins were a huge hit. And then to a short 3D movie titled “A Turtle’s Adventure”.

On the way out we stopped in the gift shop to let the kids each pick out a toy.  Louie, after much debate, finally picked the Lemur over the Penguin, Matt Selected a pair of tiger stripped binoculars which would have been helpful to actually see the tigers today.  And Sarah (not Matt) selected a large purple python!  Which she wore wrapped around her neck like a feather boa all the way home.

After a long hot day at the zoo we decided to take the kids for another treat, and took them out to dinner at the Melting Pot, for cheese and chocolate fondue.  We have seen families in there before and always wondered if our kids would really enjoy it.  Well for those of you who still have small kids and may be wondering the same thing we have the following advise. Minimum recommended age for eating at the Melting Pot is six years.  Louie (at age six) now claims to have a new favorite restaurant, yes even over McDonalds! Matt (at age 4), enjoyed the cheese and chocolate (although he came out wearing a good bit of chocolate on his shirt), but did not enjoy the dinner so much.  Sarah on the other hand decided that tonight was the night she needed to learn to feed herself!  Are you kidding me!!?!!??!  She screeched an ear piercing screech if we did not let her hold her spoon, and when we let her have the spoon most of her food ended up on the table, in her bib, or on the floor, not in her mouth. 

All in all it was a wonderful day and as the kids said in the car heading home after dinner, “it was worth the hot!”