Richmond Zoo

So we rolled out to the Richmond Zoo today.

I'd been pretty doubtful about the experience but the cabin fever was really starting to get the best of me. (And Eric, surprisingly, has no interest in going station wagon shopping...).

So we left for the Zoo. I thought there might be one monkey in a cage. We got out there and it was actually great. Don't get me wrong, you're definitely not at the National Zoo or the Seattle Zoo, but there is a lot of opportunity to feed and pat some pretty exotic animals.

We started our day by admiring the groundhogs.

Then Vake and Eric fed the emu. Who was extremely personable.

Vake actually chased the emu down the fenceline for a bit. I hope these pics give you some sense of how HOT it was out there. I think we are in for a MISERABLE rest of summer if this heat keeps up.

This little boy loves animals...

...and cheesing for the camera.

I think we were talking about not putting our fingers through the fence here.

So the craziest thing they have is the budgie aviary. You go inside and there are about 50-100 budgies and you buy a stick with birdseed on it and you are literally swarmed by budgies. There is a certain ick factor, but if you can put that aside, it is pretty cool and the budgies are so sweet.

Vake LOVED the budgies- I was trying not to freak out and simultaneously chanting "Gentle Hands, Gentle Hands."

Once all our seed was gone. we fed some extremely docile camels.

And then went over to the giraffe area. It's extremely clever- they've got this ramp so that the giraffes don't even have to bend their heads for you to feed them.

And once we were too hot and miserable to go on any more, we rolled out and went to Johnny Rocket's for lunch- as you can tell, someone in our house is feeling all better!