the zoo

For some inexplicable, probably my own fault, reason we went to the zoo for my Birthday. I have no freaking idea why we did this; I don't like zoos, it was freezing cold, it was pouring down with rain, we were all sniffling and sneezing with colds and I've got a bad knee. Stupidest. Idea. Ever.

But sometimes stupidity reigns the day doesn't it, you feel compelled to do something because you said you might and if you have a two year old in listening distance then you are buggered because once they think the zoo is on the cards there really is no going back.

Marwell Zoo is not the worst of zoo environments, at least it's out in the countryside, but it's still a zoo. I find them depressing. There were cute things like penguins for Betsy to look at but she wasn't all that interested instead racing around like a lunatic and being fascinated with the ducks. Hmm, we can see the fucking ducks at the local duck pond Betsy!

Meanwhile I couldn't shut up about how depressed the animals all looked, it was freezing cold and soaking wet so its not surprising but some of the zebras looked ready to jump and the kangaroos (or were they wallabies?) were seriously pissed off. We saw tiny foxes huddled under heat lamps, a majestically grumpy tiger, extremely clever meerkats who all buggered off when the rain came pouring down even harder and a hungry looking cheetah who obliged me for a photo. We saw cute penguins, beautiful giraffes and a weird looking creature called a tapir, we got wet, we got cold, we ate lunch, we went home.

I can see the appeal of a zoo, I can especially see the appeal for young children, I seem to remember nagging and nagging to go to the zoo when I was a kid and the place was full of school trippers. Again I think Betsy is that tiny bit too young to appreciate looking at interesting stuff for longer than a second so I expect we will go back, we might go back. I imagine in the warmth of summer and on a nice day it would make for a great day out, I might even refrain from making snidey comments if someone gets me an ice cream.