While many of you that we know and love are still being pounded by old man winter, I thought that I would give you a little glimpse into our little "Spring Break" trip to the local Shanghai Wild Animal Park. Our dearest friends, the Hess's and the Sagen's kids, were on break from school so us three moms packed all 8 kids, Grandma Hess and Ayi into three vans and headed off to see the lions, tigers and bears - oh my! (I couldn't resist because I knew you saw it coming).We saw them, all right, Jurassic Park style from the comfort of an air conditioned Chinese equivalent of a Greyhound Bus. And, contrary to some guidebooks, no live chickens were dangled outside the windows of the bus to provide for extra entertainment. (This did happen to one poor family in our neighborhood during their visit to the park with their, at the time, three year old daughter looking on.) We did happen upon one very stiff and bloated zebra, however the kids claimed that they saw its chest rising with breath. Phew...it was just "sleeping"..."night, night zebra"...
After the short bus ride through the large animal viewing areas, we all piled onto a tram to whiz us through the rest of the park so as to keep the three two year olds moving right along. The tram driver drove through the park avoiding trees and other park goers like the best of Shanghai's experienced taxi drivers - no Disney World pace for them and no hope of seeing more than a glimpse of most of the other animals unless we wanted to back track by foot. Did I mention we had three two year olds along?
HEY, LETS GET ALL THE KIDS TOGETHER FOR A PICTURE!!!!
Attempt in setting # 1: nope, Ava didn't think so
Attempt in setting # 2: even the animal statues aren't looking at the camera
I can't even tell you how many shots four adults took and not one turned out much better than these. But hey, they tell a story too.
I can't even tell you how many shots four adults took and not one turned out much better than these. But hey, they tell a story too.
Here's Josh, Caden and Ava having a snack outside of the white tiger viewing area. (Yeah, I know what you thinking - snacks. ) Josh thought it was pretty cool seeing his big brother hoisted up by the elephant, but Ava and Caden were not going anywhere near this guy.
The highlight of the day happened to be the first picture that I posted - our visit to Lemur Island. For 5 RMB you could buy a cup of apple slices as get up close and personal with the fuzzy striped tailed friendly guys. Caden was brave about holding out the apple and held onto it until the lemurs took it from him, Ava tossed hers way ahead of time so as to not let them get close. They both were grinning from ear to ear as we left these friends behind. I was expecting the terrible twos to throw a twin tantrum when it was time to leave, however, they were content to end their day at the zoo.
The highlight of the day happened to be the first picture that I posted - our visit to Lemur Island. For 5 RMB you could buy a cup of apple slices as get up close and personal with the fuzzy striped tailed friendly guys. Caden was brave about holding out the apple and held onto it until the lemurs took it from him, Ava tossed hers way ahead of time so as to not let them get close. They both were grinning from ear to ear as we left these friends behind. I was expecting the terrible twos to throw a twin tantrum when it was time to leave, however, they were content to end their day at the zoo.Until next time...it was 80 degrees here for much of what was a national holiday weekend as it was Labor Day in China on Thursday. In this picture Ava and Caden are trying to catch minnows in a little pond in our neighborhood complex - see we even have our own wildlife here in our backyard.
