Zlín Zoo

Last night my parents made the mistake of reading me this great bedtime story trying to get me ready for the next day's adventure:

"V Zoo," "In the Zoo" 
I may have translated the title for you, but you're on your own for the sweet sound effects and awesome animal pantomimes.

Well, that was a mistake.  I was so excited about going to the zoo that I woke up extra-early today!  As a matter of fact, I woke up early and threw this particular book at my parents demanding, "Read!"  Although, I don't really say "read," I say "book." 

As a baby, whenever I identify an object it automatically implies its use. 

Actually, in hindsight, I think waking up early for the zoo backfired.  I was so excited about going and I woke up early for it...

I feel asleep on the way there!

So, while I wake-up, let me tell you a little bit about this place for those of you not willing to check-out the link (despite the fact that this particular location does have an English site).

Today we went back to the nearby city of Zlín.  Yes, that Zlín, from Zlín Galaxie fame.  You've even heard me mention Zlín's malls before too.  It's only about 30-45 minutes away from Uherský Brod, which is where we're staying.

But this time we didn't go to Zlaté Jablko, Zlín Centro, or Čepkov.  We didn't even go to Galaxie!  This time we went to the forest.  For the zoo!

I woke up once we got into the zoo and Dad picked me up and ran off to an exhibit.

Now, I've been to both the Oklahoma City Zoo and the Tulsa Zoo before, but I was younger then and didn't really understand what was going on.
I was actually here last year too - but I don't remember it!

Well, imagine my suprise when my dad stood me up on a ledge...

...over water!
















I didn't know what to expect.  I had just woken up a few minutes ago.  So just guess how shocked I was when a lachtan, or sea lion, broke the surface!

I was so excited by what I had seen that I went downstairs to get a closer view.

It's a good thing that the plexiglass is so thick, because boy did I bang on it!

I kept trying to get their attention (there are two of them), but it didn't work...

...or did it?

I like to think all my banging, pointing, and all-around two-year-old excited squealing got this guy's attention just long enough to come out of the water for me, and for me alone.

Well, that was just about the most exciting thing I had ever seen!

As a matter of fact, I must have spent a good twenty minutes just watching those two swim up and down their exhibit; splashing around and seeming to wave to the crowd.

Like I said earlier, I couldn't remember having ever been to a zoo before.  I didn't know what to expect.  I didn't know there was more than just this.

And that is why, dear Kuba's Korner readers, I'm ashamed to inform you, that the above photo is a picture just before I threw a fit about leaving.  I thought we were going home!

But we weren't.

And, fortunately, the very next exhibit was very close.
And very close to home.

They call it the "Yucatan," and it's part of their South American exhibits.  It's basically a gigantic humid greenhouse; like I said, "close to home."  My parents thought it wasn't nearly as hot and humid as in the past, but that's probably due to all the cool, rainy weather we've been experiencing lately.

Anyway, the Yucatan is cool because it's built like a rain forest and is one of those open-type exhibits; the animals are free!

It has waterfalls and rope bridges and all sorts of animals too.








They even had numbered turtles for after- hours' turtle drag racing!



At least that's what dad said they were numbered for.

After making our way upstairs I got a real treat!

Up in the sky!

Is that a bird?

Is that a plane?

NO! 

It's a monkey above our heads!

(Click the photo to enlarge and check-out the shadow on the beam in the top left-hand corner just under the leaves.)



After the monkey disappeared into the wild, we continued across a rope bridge.

I couldn't figure out why this bird was so close when every other bird I've ever chased had flown away whenever I got within 10 meters (10.9 yards).

"Oh snap!  What's that?"

I asked as we continued through the exhibit.

I assure you, this photo wasn't staged and my clothing wasn't planned in advance.

Grandma and Grandpa - notice my rapt attention with this animal.

Hint.  Hint.

It was crocodiles!

Or alligators!

I don't know which, I didn't read the sign.

For you, astute and observant readers, click here to find out the difference between them and maybe you can let me know what I saw in the comments section below.

We made it out of the Yucatan in one piece and continued through the zoo and past the fla- mingos...

...to the castle.

Yes, that's right.

This zoo has a castle in it.

Here's some information about it (in English).

There's even a pond with ducks in front of it!




However, I quickly learned that you are not allowed to feed the ducks in the zoo.

We made it past the gorilla habitat...

...and ended up watching the penguins.

After snacking on my párek v rohliku - which can best be described as a hot dog within a roll (but do not confuse it with a corndog!) - it was time to continue further through the zoo.

With párek still in-hand we passed some birds and arrived at Mom's favorite animal:  the giraffes!

In case you cannot see them, let me help you - they're there.

They were actually pretty active...

...in their quest for food.










We left the giraffes and finally got a picture of a peacock with its tail fully exposed.  (For those long-time readers of Kuba's Korner, you may recall that our camera died at Buchlovice when a peacock was doing the same thing.)

I was then stopped in my tracks by something amazing and huge...

...RHINO!

But those two rhinos were no match for the ele- phants.

I'm a little embarr- assed to admit I even partook in Elephant Mardi Gras.
I show, you throw.  Peanuts.

Dad even had me do my Dumbo impersonation for the elephants!












We continued to make our way down through the forest after the elephants.  We went through the lemur exhibit, but this time there was only one and it was in a tree.

Last time we were here there were a whole bunch of lemurs on the path and they would run over to you and grab food from you (even though you're not supposed to feed the animals at the zoo).  Last year one came to my stroller and stole a roll out of the bottom basket!  This time there was no excitement like that.

We saw a sleeping lion and some anetelope (but not together) and made our way through a heavily forested area and came to a clearing -

- inhabited by a giant caterpillar!

(It was really a butterfly garden.)

I was a good scientist.  I used all my senses when observing the giant caterpillar.

First I saw it.

Then I felt it.

Then I tasted it.

The entire time I was also using my senses of smell and hearing.

For example, I heard, "No Kuba!  Don't bite it!" 




After determining this caterpillar posed no threat -

I rode it!

I surfed it!

And walked it from head to tail.

Just past the butterfly garden I found a kangaroo to ride.

Hop, hop, hop!

I continued onward, leading the exploration.

There were some obstacles to overcome.

But I was successful. 

I made it across the bridge,

and down the slide,








then it was time for my pony ride!

I didn't always have Kuba's Korner (despite its being started shortly after my birth).  Until the blogging started this summer, most people had to learn about my exploits by actually talking, texting, or emailing with my parents.

Therefore, some of you may have heard about my first experience with horses at Easter.  There was a huge Easter celebration in a local park at home hosted by a local church.  Besides the egg-celent, egg-stravaganza egg hunt, they had pony rides.

Let's just say that my parents (dad in particular) were disappointed that the twenty minute wait in line didn't even work out to twenty seconds of my tushie in the saddle.

He was extremely proud of me because this time I sat down, pet the pony, and went round and round for the entire time!

 

Again, dear reader, I am sorry to inform you that the above picture was taken just before another temper tantrum.  GASP!  I know, right?  

 

Sure, I could point out that I was tired because I had been at the zoo for four hours and had had an early nap that was shorter than my usual naps; but I won't.

 

I could point out that I was hungry because I hadn't had a snack except for the roll that I tried to feed to the ducks and the parek; but I won't.

 

I could also say that I was hot because the weather was the hottest it had been in weeks; but I won't.

 

No.  

 

The plain and simple fact is:  I didn't want to get off the horse.  I liked it so much I wanted to stay on it and continue riding it.  The whole time I was on it I was petting it!  Once the horse in front of me swished its tail and hit my horse!  I scolded it, "te-te-te."  It didn't do it again.

I calmed down really quick afterwards because we had made it all the way to the bottom of the forest.  Rather than walk all the way back up to where we came from we did something spectacular:

ALL ABOARD!

That's right!  We took a train back to the front of the zoo!  After that, I didn't seem to mind not riding a horse any longer.

I also didn't mind leaving the zoo once we got off the train.  I was exhausted!

I immediately fell asleep in the car with the animals of Zlín in my dreams.