THE LION SPEAKS

Took an impromptu trip to the "D" to visit the Detroit Zoo.  I haven't been there "nigh on 50+ years" as the old fogies say. As always with a nostalgic-based trek things are so much smaller than I remember.  But then so was I.  The 1.7 mile stroll around the zoo peninsula was not all that daunting with my Dr. Scholl cushioned shoes. Of course the stops for the occasional wild animal sighting do tend to break up the walk. 

We were warned to come after 1 p.m. as the summer-minded school children usually ended their field trips by then. Apparently the last few weeks of the school year are basically a write-off so teachers are frantically looking for ways to entertain their soon to be liberated brood and hard core learning is off the table.  Another reason for year-round schools with generous vacations interspersed. If a couple months of freedom are not beckoning from the distance, apparently school-agers can keep their minds focused on the prize so to speak.  However, air conditioning is a must if we expect them to learn in any kind of comfort.

Dutifully appearing after 1:00 pm did little to mitigate the flood of small fry running, jumping, screaming and basically getting in the way of anything interesting. (There is a reason we travel in late September, early October.) However that did not hold true either when we took a cruise in the middle of January. We were amazed at how casually parents pull their babies out of school to partake in an off-site educational experience (swimming, playing, movies, eating, etc.) that are found on-board. Yep I don't get it either. When I was in school - oh no uphill both ways; it took an act of the almighty to be out of school a day or two with all teachers signing off and homework assigned.  No wonder the kids don't feel it is important,

Anyway as usual we bring the worst weather when we travel which actually suits me fine as I hate the heat.  Coolish in the 60's was ok with me. However the animals were scarce and those who appeared to entertain were frantically searching for any sunny spot or hiding in their respective dens.  Don't blame them.  The two lions visible - male and female - were stretched out like any respectable house cats in the one big rock smack dab in the sun. I believe the zoo personnel taking pity on the mobs of people straining to see, well anything, decided to provide a little mid-afternoon snack for the cats.

As is in the wild, the female immediately jumped up and loped to the chunks of meat being tossed from a very high point of the den - protected by electric fence I'm guessing. As the hunter in the family she was of course bringing home the bacon, frying it up in a pan la la, but I digress.  Those hunks of meat were looking rather toothsome I must admit and we had missed lunch.  Anyway as she was not bringing it back for Daddy Cat, he of luxurious mane and lazy butt, slowly, majestically made his way over to the food wall.  Though he moved a little more quickly when he saw his ravenous mate grabbing all the choice bits.  Good for you Mama.

Another high point was the Australian outback exhibit. Only a certain number of people are let into the enclosure at a time which should have made me suspicious after we were locked in and told "now you'all don't stray from the path and someone will let you out at the other end".  Whaa? Too late the door is closed behind you.  Well I have no problem with koalas and sloths as one sleeps all day and the other is not known for its ambitious actions. Then we saw them...dum dum dum dum - the Joeys jumping and hopping all around the yard.  I especially like the convenient way they recline by resting on their very muscular tails, leaning back and taking in the sights.  After seeing how energetic they were and how outnumbered we were, I definitely did not "stray from the path".  We were eventually let out of the confined area and I am convinced that we were considered entertainment for the kangas. But I definitely did not take any food from them. 

We ended our tour with a penguin retreat which consisted of a bunch of tuxedo clad participants who apparently party continually.  Though I appreciated the pristine black and white suits, I longed for a lady in a red dress mixed in.  After climbing down several levels of stairs in pitch black I might add, and with a little misty water thrown in we made it to the bottom of their lair. With my background as a safety professional I bitched the whole way down that this was a lawsuit just waiting to happen and clung to the guardrail when I could find it with the grip of a octopus suction cup.

However at the bottom was a magical tube where the tuxedos dove, swam furiously and captured fish thrown in from some unknown magic feeder.  At least I never figured out where they came from.  Maybe fish just wandered in from the Detroit River looking for food and uh-oh-penguins.  I also found it fascinating how they would turn the fish around before they swallowed it whole. Those that did not accomplish the maneuver quickly were destined to have their meal snatched away by another player. Cool.