The Zoo

One of the things I've always loved about the Washington DC area are the Smithsonian exhibits. I've fallen in love with Norman Rockwell's art at the exhibition currently at the museum of American art, I've gazed in reverence at the original ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in the Wizard of Oz at the museum of American history and just a few weeks ago, I went to the national zoo with Jeremy.

'Twas a wonderful day out. I met him at the Au Bon Pain in Union Station and we took the metro to get to where the only pandas in DC live (I think). Note for all you acrophobics like myself, the escalator from the station up to the main level is GIANT! On our way back down, Jeremy had to hold my hand and sing to me about beady eyed Canadians so that I wouldn't break down crying of fear in the middle of the stopped escalator. I really am the luckiest girl in the world.

"Oh those Canadians, with their beady eyes, oh their beady eyes, oh those beady eyed Canadians..."

Although there were a myriad of spectacular animals there including an emu we deemed to be emo as it was violently attacking its cage and gorgeous red pandas, being the odd couple we are, the squirrels we saw randomly around the park and on our way there were our favorites. Every time we passed one, we'd stop and say hello to it. We went to a pizza place near the zoo. The pizza was alright, kind of mediocre though.

At 3 O’Clock, they were doing an Octopus feeding, so we went to check it out. They named the Octopus Octavius, which Jeremy says is a stupid name for an Octopus, because it was a girl Octopus. Both he and I thought the girl feeding Octavius was kind of cute though. As we left, we stopped to look at the spiders and almost fainted when they turned out not to be behind glass which resulted in a hasty exit from the building through what was in fact the entrance.

All in all, this was a most successful date. Due to time constraints, aching feet that required a massage and the facts I owe my roomies a trip into DC, we only visited half the zoo to see the rest on another day. I particularly look forward to the small mammal house.

Tell me: What's your favorite thing to do with your friends or loved ones?