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Since it was nice I headed for the Columbus Zoo. Most people don't know it but Columbus has a world class zoo that's very active in conservation. (whatever our feelings about the humanity of zoos, they are becoming the cornerstone of conservation) It just opened an Asian exhibit two weeks ago that I wanted to see so off I went.
I had forgotten just how FAR that damn zoo was. It’s northwest of the city, like 100 miles from me. So I got there later than expected and I forgot a very important tidbit, it shares a parking lot with the water park (head desk. I moved away 8 years ago so...) Finally I find a parking spot and then learn the zoo closes at 6pm which shocked me (btw for those living in the area, do go to the zoo, especially for their jazz and/or opera nights, it’s a fun experience).
Since it’s much later than I thought and there was no place to stop on the roads I was on for food I decided I could cheat on the diabetic diet a little (because there is NO choice inside the zoo, everything’s bad for you) since I’d put in a 10 K walk min. (I used to hike the zoo for charity so I know...) I had a funnel cake. I used to adore them. Well I can tell that I have been SO good on my diet because it was too sweet for me and too greazy. I ended up tossing part of it.
Luckily it was only in the mid-80's and low humidity so I was doing okay on the walks. And I love my digital camera (which did NOT drain the batteries today. I didn’t have it sent on auto so I think that made a difference). I have a great zoom and I got a lot of nice pictures (they won’t upload here stupid dial up. I might go to the office next week to upload) I helped some kids spot things in the enclosures. I helped someone find the rhinos. ‘Can you see them on the map?’ “No,” replies I. “I can smell them.’ Geez they stink. And I got to see the baby elephant gamboling with its mom.
The Asian exhibit isn’t done yet but I got to see a red panda and the Pallas Cat. I really wanted to see that one. The poor thing isn’t used to its new enclosure and was racing all over the palce (couldn’t get her pic). I got fantastic pictures of the Amur Tigers. It’s easy when they are just lying there sleeping. That also made it easy for the kangaroos and the koalas.
The one thing I didn’t see was the manatees. Well it’s not like I haven’t seen them in the wild. The exhibit was crammed pack with people. I totally freaked out. I’m not a fan of crowds so I left. The repitle hut had a cool variety of snakes. I loved the blood python. I even dared a peek at the bird-eating spider but thankfully it wasn’t in view. The otehr neat feature the zoo has, misters all over the place for the crowd to walk under and cool down.
It felt like I had been there for hours but in relatity it was under two. My legs were getting noodly and I was getting hot and cranky (how I surived FL I’ll never know. I was sweating so much I could barelyt get my pants down to pee, my clothes were stuck. And I was very thankful at this point I didn’t have kids because it was cranky time for so many...and honestly parents who bring BABIES to this should be hit. Do they miss the part where the doc tells them newborns can’t sweat and don’t let them get overheated? Apparently so.
So I headed for the Borders since I was armed with my 30% welcome to the Borders club card coupon plus the 20% off one item if you spend 20$ coupon and it was on the street I had to travel to get to the zoo. It’s anime collection is small and over priced so I opted for an import CD of Solas, a Celtic band I love. Then splurged on manga. Oh my, Borders manga selection made Barnes and Nobles look anemic. I got the next two Her Majesty’s Dog’s and #2 of Ghost Hunt and could have spent another 50$ without even trying hard.
When I lived in Columbus Saw Mill Rd didn’t have much on it but it’s built up now. I saw Max & Erma’s (the place I eat the last two times) and Olive Garden (I think they’re way too overpriced for pasta) so I ask is tehre other options. Just an Eat At Joe’s Crab Shack down the opposite way I needed to go but since I just had seafood twice this week (my delicious pan seared sea scallops in butter-thyme sauce and crab legs and then stuffed crab & shrimp eggplant last night) I went back to Max & Ermas and did stick with sandwiches this time. Good choice.
Made it home in time to collapse in the tub with my manga. Ah heaven.
ETA - snagged this from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ladystarlightsj
How evil are you?
I had forgotten just how FAR that damn zoo was. It’s northwest of the city, like 100 miles from me. So I got there later than expected and I forgot a very important tidbit, it shares a parking lot with the water park (head desk. I moved away 8 years ago so...) Finally I find a parking spot and then learn the zoo closes at 6pm which shocked me (btw for those living in the area, do go to the zoo, especially for their jazz and/or opera nights, it’s a fun experience).
Since it’s much later than I thought and there was no place to stop on the roads I was on for food I decided I could cheat on the diabetic diet a little (because there is NO choice inside the zoo, everything’s bad for you) since I’d put in a 10 K walk min. (I used to hike the zoo for charity so I know...) I had a funnel cake. I used to adore them. Well I can tell that I have been SO good on my diet because it was too sweet for me and too greazy. I ended up tossing part of it.
Luckily it was only in the mid-80's and low humidity so I was doing okay on the walks. And I love my digital camera (which did NOT drain the batteries today. I didn’t have it sent on auto so I think that made a difference). I have a great zoom and I got a lot of nice pictures (they won’t upload here stupid dial up. I might go to the office next week to upload) I helped some kids spot things in the enclosures. I helped someone find the rhinos. ‘Can you see them on the map?’ “No,” replies I. “I can smell them.’ Geez they stink. And I got to see the baby elephant gamboling with its mom.
The Asian exhibit isn’t done yet but I got to see a red panda and the Pallas Cat. I really wanted to see that one. The poor thing isn’t used to its new enclosure and was racing all over the palce (couldn’t get her pic). I got fantastic pictures of the Amur Tigers. It’s easy when they are just lying there sleeping. That also made it easy for the kangaroos and the koalas.
The one thing I didn’t see was the manatees. Well it’s not like I haven’t seen them in the wild. The exhibit was crammed pack with people. I totally freaked out. I’m not a fan of crowds so I left. The repitle hut had a cool variety of snakes. I loved the blood python. I even dared a peek at the bird-eating spider but thankfully it wasn’t in view. The otehr neat feature the zoo has, misters all over the place for the crowd to walk under and cool down.
It felt like I had been there for hours but in relatity it was under two. My legs were getting noodly and I was getting hot and cranky (how I surived FL I’ll never know. I was sweating so much I could barelyt get my pants down to pee, my clothes were stuck. And I was very thankful at this point I didn’t have kids because it was cranky time for so many...and honestly parents who bring BABIES to this should be hit. Do they miss the part where the doc tells them newborns can’t sweat and don’t let them get overheated? Apparently so.
So I headed for the Borders since I was armed with my 30% welcome to the Borders club card coupon plus the 20% off one item if you spend 20$ coupon and it was on the street I had to travel to get to the zoo. It’s anime collection is small and over priced so I opted for an import CD of Solas, a Celtic band I love. Then splurged on manga. Oh my, Borders manga selection made Barnes and Nobles look anemic. I got the next two Her Majesty’s Dog’s and #2 of Ghost Hunt and could have spent another 50$ without even trying hard.
When I lived in Columbus Saw Mill Rd didn’t have much on it but it’s built up now. I saw Max & Erma’s (the place I eat the last two times) and Olive Garden (I think they’re way too overpriced for pasta) so I ask is tehre other options. Just an Eat At Joe’s Crab Shack down the opposite way I needed to go but since I just had seafood twice this week (my delicious pan seared sea scallops in butter-thyme sauce and crab legs and then stuffed crab & shrimp eggplant last night) I went back to Max & Ermas and did stick with sandwiches this time. Good choice.
Made it home in time to collapse in the tub with my manga. Ah heaven.
ETA - snagged this from
ladystarlightsj How evil are you?
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