Field trip: Denver Zoo

October means it's time for our annual trip to the Denver Zoo.  I love going to the zoo in the fall.  The trees and shrubs are all different shades of yellow, orange, red and brown... the fallen leaves crunch under your feet.  The weather is warm, maybe even a little too warm in the early afternoon, but the rest of the day is just about perfect.  No crowds, minimal bus loads of school kids.. just the way I like it.

Last year we royally screwed up and inadvertently went on a free day.  The parking and the crowds were an absolute nightmare.  Never.  Again.  I made sure of that this time around.  Owen was sick last year as well, and stayed home with grandma Judy and I took the other three.  So this time around was sort of like Owen's first zoo visit (although technically it wasn't) that he could remember.  After rescheduling twice, last Thursday was THE day. 

We got to the zoo at around lunchtime, so we buzzed by the elephants as we made our way to our picnic site.  Colin went nuts as we went by Mimi and Dolly (elephants) - he communicated with them by making monkey noises.  I'm sure they understood every word.



We packed a picnic lunch and ate at the very spot pictured up top - it is one of my favorites in the whole zoo.  It is hidden within the circle of train tracks, just beyond the carousel.  The goose/duck poop smell was pretty powerful, but other than that is was gorgeous.  The older three wrestled around and fended off pushy geese, and Colin sat high-and-mighty in his stroller, eating a lion's share of the red grapes and throwing his sandwich triangles to the geese.

We finished lunch and then slowly made our way through the primates exhibit - Colin was most excited about the very mean-looking Mandrill and the gorillas and orangutans.  Owen loved watching the Lemurs and picked up about a hundred different sticks as we walked along.  Then we rode the train and Owen was easily the happiest little boy on the planet.  It was his first time doing something like that.  Sorry no pictures - I had to hold on to Mr. Colin.



We watched the sea lion show next and enjoyed some ice cream - it was getting a little hot!  They have installed a whole new play area and two-story viewing deck right by the sea lions - that was fast - it wasn't there last year.  Then we wandered around Tropical Discovery.

See that orange blur?  Yeah, neither did I half the time...  Colin's stroller had to stay outside, so the little zippity-do-dah had free run of the place, and run he did.  At least I had the forethought to dress him in a bright color.

He slowed down to check out the Komodo Dragon though...  "WOW!!" (Colin's word for the day)

We had a great time - can't wait to see the whole Asia exhibit when it is completed.  Jordan is still completely floored that the elephants will be able to walk across a bridge that goes over the pedestrian walkway.  Hope they don't poop.