Saturday, November 29, 2008

what a hit!

This morning was our last field trip for December unless we somwhow squeeze in an art museum after Christmas. While the temperature was 35 F at breakfast, it warmed up to a lovely 50 F by the time we filed out at the Cleveland Park METRO station. Our destination was the National Zoo, which I hadn't visited in 25 years. Knowing that we only had a few precious hours before crankiness set in due to exhaustion (myself and the little boys particularly), we hit the high points of pandas, elephants, big apes, and seals with the promise of another trip in the not-too-distant future. One highlight of the day was the elephant training session outside in the yard,
but the kids asked many times on the walk back down the hill if they could return just to see the feeding of the hippopotamus. Unfortunately her companion hippo died this past year and she will be relocated to another zoo sometime before they finish building the new elephant exhibit. The children loved seeing her scarf down those strawberries, which is one of my favorites as well, but even while in my temporarily fat stage at 26 weeks of pregnancy, I guarantee that in no way, shape, or form I resemble this creature.

2 comments:

Kelly said...

i have to admit that i admire your "get out and go." you really challenge me to get out more and do stuff with my kiddos. we live in northern virginia, and i despise driving around here, or looking for parking for the metro, etc. even so, i really need to take advantage more of all the resources we have here.

kat said...

One of the benefits of knowing we are only stationed here for 3 years is the understanding that if we don't see these cultural attractions now, we will never see them.
Once my van goes over the bridge connecting New Hampshire and Maine that last time it is going to be near impossible to get me to go anywhere. Sheep, cows, and chickens will be my main sources of cultural interaction after that!!