Friday 20 September 2013

London Zoo in July

We have a friend, The Lion Man who because of where he works gave G and us family tickets to London Zoo.

We will go on my birthday! said G, but then it rained.
He dragged out making a decision about leaving till I had to say,
AM I MAKING A PICNIC OR NOT?
G finally saw sense.
But it's my birthday I want to go today he sighed occasionally.

We headed out the following day, which was now officially the hottest day on the planet in London.
Parasol out.



A complimentary ticket means you enter the exit work your way round and head out the same way. You start at the penguins. Well jell for their pool, can you see how hot it was?



Want to see a monkey up close, take a turquoise parasol.
Didn't get any close up pictures, they move so fast. It was a bit of a commotion involving a keeper and a strong telling off.
Poor monkey and parasol still in one piece.


This lot are funny they just play stare.
We took refuge in the Aquarium.



The Zoo features in lots of old movies and I went there with Mum when I was little. It has changed so much there is little to remember but two buildings stuck out but I can't remember if that is old movie or memory.


Walking round the back of the giraffe house is nostalgic, the brickwork and archways are so familiar and actually on this pathway in the heat I thought I will come back when it snows.
Make mental note to read about this building.


The girls were on their best behaviour, some children just wanted to bang on the glass and adults, waving at tigers? Really?
Actually we were lucky to see the tiger, he hung out in his glass box for a few minutes looking at this crowd, yawned and then jumped into the undergrowth where it was much cooler and he could not be seen from then on.

T loved the goats, P not so much.



At the end of the day I said they could have as many turns on the Merry Go Round for being so good in the swelter and in company as The Lion Man threw off his days work and walked round with us.



Penny loves the horses and managed three turns. It is ££££.


My mum tells me that when I was little we arrived at the zoo first thing in the morning which meant that I had the panda to myself, which I do remember and it was chilly day. I remember more the polar bears. They were so big, so white and furry. They were lazy and their paws were the size of dinner plates. I told mum they were no longer there and probably not alive. I could hear her raise an eyebrow as she enquired over the chimps tea party and camel rides! Muttering something about it all being about the animals. Giggle.

We took the train home from Camden and T held The Lion Man's hand all the way back, talking about all the animals in his zoo, I don't want to disappoint her yet.

I think it was a novelty for him to be in charge of chatty little ones on a boiling rush hour tube train as apposed to big lazy lions in the Okavango Delta which would be his usual hang out.



As we walked back both men wearing similar attire, accompanying pretty blonde haired children, it occurred to me as I brought up the rear with the empty picnic things, the parasol and the bags that I looked like the nanny/surrogate.
Made me chuckle.

Best day.
Thank you.

CM




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