| April 2009 Journal #4 Page 1
What do animals, boats, trains, and Dora the Explorer all have in common? They're all things that you can see and do at the Parque Zoológico del Centenario, in other words, the Mérida Zoo. This past Sunday, Mama and I decided to explore all that this wonderful park had to offer.
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First came the birdcage, where we were able to walk amongst the many species that flew around our heads. The highlights of this exhibit were a magnificently adorned peacock courting a significantly less interested female and an extremely angry pelican that, needless to say, Mama and I carefully avoided. We walked around the enclosed cages next, and Mama taught me the Spanish words for the many reptiles, large cats, and other mammals and birds that we saw. To complete the experience, we saw Dora and her friend Boots as they broke it down on stage for a crowd of children and their parents. Next came the activity part of the excursion. For three pesos, about 25 U.S. cents, we were able to rent a small rowboat for ten minutes and row around the man-made lake in the center of the park, talking and laughing while we attempted to control where we were going with small plastic paddles. When our time was up, and my shorts were slightly wet from splashing water, we decided we would take a train ride around the park. As we passed the various animal cages, Mama quizzed me on the Spanish names that she had just taught me. We left the park thoroughly satisfied with the three hours we had spent together there. |
