Wild animals

For a country that charges you to file your taxes and stay healthy it's amazing how much in its capital is free!  Anything with the word "National" in front seems to let you in gratis (except the Washington National Cathedral, which asks for $10, although Sundays are free).  Today we decided to sample the National Zoo.

The place was founded in 1889, and (together with a wildlife park outside DC) they have over 300 species of 1,800 animals.  I added a couple more to that number when I took Pete and Charlie along.

The place is indeed massive, and despite the low entry fee doesn't skimp on the animals you get to see.  There are elephants, cheetahs, buffalo, apes...there's also a giant pizza that you can play on.  Yes, I took two toddlers to one of the world's most impressive zoos and all they wanted to do was play on a giant squishy pizza.

With all the excitement I was soon left with two sleeping boys.  I wondered about dropping them off at the monkey house, where they would enjoy a comfortable stay before the ruse was discovered, but instead wheeled them to the station and back to Jack and Amanda's for ice lollies and bubbles.  These kids have it almost as good as the animals.



Ready to roll.



We were a bit early so stopped off at a classy coffee shop.

First animal: a sloth bear!  I like this creature.

Elephant!

Q: What's grey, has four legs, and a trunk? 

A: A mouse going on vacation.

I could have come home with extra monkeys.

Charlie and a tortoise.

Look at this patch of gravel, so much more fascinating than the hundreds of exotic animals all around us!

Boys together.



Ah, yes: the giant pizza that you could play on.

Charlie makes the sauce.

Giant olive, giant cheese wheel...not sure why this is in a zoo, but it works!

All very exhausting.

And finishing with the excitement of a train ride.  Their keeper needed a nap after all that.