After she was done we took the opportunity to visit San Diego Zoo. It's an establishment of international reputation - those of us who grew up watching The Really Wild Show on the BBC heard mention of it most episodes, and for good reason: the place is huge. We encountered elephants and tigers, giraffes and hippos, and I saw my first rhino.
James gallantly drove back to Irvine while the rest of us snoozed off our trek, but with six in the vehicle at least he could use the car pool lane without a shred of guilt. It was a wonderful day, iced with the crushing victory at backgammon I inflicted on James after the kids had gone to bed. Just like when we were at school...
Frankie, in the wild.
Lex and Pete make each others' acquaintances. One looks shocked, as usual.
The Holland girls of Orange County.
Down at the zoo.
Pretty flamingos.
Big cat.
Three inches away from a hippo.
Lexie isn't phased.
This is a pit viper. Anything called a "pit viper" is not something you want to mess with.
A red panda. Lazy.
A monochrome panda. Even lazier! They sleep for 14 hours a day.
This creature should be sleeping for 14 hours a day but has recently decided that shut-eye is boring. He broke his previous no-nap record today, clocking up almost three hours of (increasingly grumpy) wakefulness.
A polar bear from below...
...and above.
Frankie learns how it feels to be polar bear lunch.
What do you get if you cross an elephant and a rhino? 'Ell if I know! Hahaha....
Riding the tiger. In the background you may notice that they're serving beer. How do you make a zoo better? Serve beer! I'm sure no one ever has a few too many and decides to wrestle a pit viper.
This is from yesterday, when James and I did our gay dads impression in the pool. Don't laugh - today someone asked if Pete and Lexie were twins.
Impressive thighs double as flotation devices.
