Before I get in to what we did today, I wanted to tell ya'll about what we saw yesterday while we were walking around downtown Brisbane. Besides awesome shopping...seriously, these Aussies know what is UP with shopping! *sigh* So many stores, so little money :-( Tragic. Tragic, indeed.
Okay, so we were on some street -- it was like a city block of shopping, very neat the way it was laid out. It reminded me of Grafton St. in Ireland, a street that seems like everyone in the city is on it . . . well, there were these two older gentlemen playing ragtime music! Oh my gosh, they were so good, and so adorable in their caps and suspenders....when they sang it reminded me of White Christmas, with Bing Crosby and who ever his side kick is, lol! I never remember his name. Not much but that was playing around in my head tonight, ha. I LOVE live music, however it comes at me ~~ concert, bar, on a street corner...I LOVE it. We stayed for two songs and thoroughly enjoyed every second!
Today, today, TODAY!!!
We went to the Australia Zoo today! Oh my gosh, this was like 9yrs in the making ~~ and worth the wait :-) Australia Zoo is located in Beerwah which is just, um, maybe an hour (if traffic is bad...or you go the wrong way, like we did) from Brisbane and is absolutely beautiful. It's so green. The trees, they are like pine trees. I don't know, does Australia have pine trees? I'll have to google that. But anyway, you know the kind I am talking about -- evergreens. It added to the overall beauty that today was cloudy/rainy, so the mountains were topped with misty clouds and everything just kind of shimmered, as it does when mist/rain is thinly coating the air.
The zoo itself is paradise. The landscaping alone is breathtaking. There are trees that are clustered together all over, providing a beautiful canopy on any kind of day, but I am sure also, much needed shade in the heat of the summer. Water, ponds and streams are dominant in almost all of the habitats -- and none of the habitats is done half measure. Care and consideration was taken for every animal that resides in their zoo . . . it is evident just by viewing their habitats.
Of course the crocs are a very dominant feature in the zoo....OBVIOUSLY, lol! The layout of the croc habitats is awesome....they aren't all clustered together in one huge area, some are alone in a good size area, while others are with their mates (so cute!).
They have a central area where they have their gift shops, food court, and animal encounter. At the animal encounter, depending on the time, you can get your picture taken with a snake, crocodile, iguana, koala, bird...and I think something else. We walked by during the snake and iguana hour so each boy took a pic with one of the reptiles. John and his dad took a picture with a HUGE iguana, while Matt sat with an albino python wrapped around him...not for the faint of heart, I'll tell you that much!
Prior to the animal encounter, we went to the crocoseum, which, if you are a Crocodile Hunter fan, you know it's where the crocs are fed in front of the crowd and you get a chance to see the awesome power and lightning fast reflexes of these great reptiles. As well as hear the unbelievable sound of their jaws snapping shut - WOW! Anyway. We were there for the Wildlife Warrior show, and, I have to tell you, they start it off with audio of an interview with Steve Irwin in which he is telling about his passion for conservation and how he wants to bring the world with him so that they can see these animals/reptiles and fall in love, for people will save what they love .... okay, I was totally choking back tears. It is just so sad that he passed away and the world lost such an exuberiant, bright person, as well as, animals/reptiles losing such a strong advocate for them. Sad.
However, the bright spot is how obvious it is that all the members of this zoo have taken to heart his passion. From the time they take to talk/educate as you wander around, to the obvious love they have for the animals under their care, his message, his passion, encompasses everything.
My camera flat out DIED during the Warrior show .... and we weren't even an hour into being there! Ggrr...I think I left it on at some point and just drained the darn thing down. I tell you this to let you know that there were some really incredible things we saw but I have NO pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it! Or come here and see it for yourself, better idea for sure :-)
As we walked along, the mist turned in to full blown rain . . . and we were NOT prepared, lol. We took shelter in the baby farm animal shed and that was sure not a hardship -- little baby goats and piglets scampered about. You are allowed to pet them at your leisure. You can feed them, too. We practically had to tear John away. He told us many times that he has finally decided what he wants to do when he grows up...he wants to be like Steve Irwin. I have to say, I have always thought John would do something with animals, he loves them so. We'll see. It will interesting to see......
Anyway.
Probably one of the COOLEST things, if not the absolute coolest, was going in to the kangaroo park. Kangaroos and Wallabies are just roaming about -- so tame and docile, it was unbelievable! You could just walk right up to them and pet them. Holy cow! It was so cool. Kangaroos are so soft -- I totally didn't think they would be, but wow, they are! You can also get food and feed them. Boy do they love that, lol! The boys had a ball feeding and petting the kangaroos and wallabies. John kept saying how he wanted to have one for a pet ;-)
Oh! Oh! I almost forgot -- MY favorite, the koala house! If ever there was a more precious little animal, it's the koala! Oh man, their precious little faces and furry bodies...ugh, I could just cuddle them all day! There was one that had a baby, it was 7 months old and let me tell you, it sure as heck didn't look like it! So tiny. So precious! We spent a lot of time in the koala house -- they are just so cute, you just don't want to leave.
Okay, so after the kangaroos we headed to where they keep the Sumatran Tigers. Side note: You know how so many zoos have these little habitats for the tigers and lions? Well not this zoo! No sir...the tigers had a GORGEOUS habitat, big and well equipped. As you walk in to their habitat, there are two gigantic bronze looking tiger statues flanking the entrance. A lot of Asian influence is found in and around the habitat. It is just stunning! Man, I wish my camera hadn't died...
The tigers, there are 3 of them, were gorgeous!!! And they were active, to boot, lol. Two of them were playing together; butting heads, rubbing up against one another, while the other was taking a lazy stroll about the habitat. Seeing the animals in motion adds so much to the experience, I am sure you all feel the same, it just can't be aptly described. At least, not by me.
I'm not going to lie --- I feel like this almost every time I visit a zoo, but especially today, there is a desire to seriously get on the "SAVE THE ANIMALS" bandwagon. Dangerous, lol. Very dangerous. John, however, is FULLY on the wagon. Hell, he may be driving it....it just tears him to pieces when he reads the tidbits set up around the habitats that talk about the falling numbers of a species, the lack of natural habitat, the poaching, etc....he just doesn't get it and it pisses him off something fierce that people would be responsible for the extinction of an animal.
Okay. Okay. I'm stepping off the bandwagon.
Matt, John and I all agreed that Australia Zoo is, handsdown, the best zoo we have ever been to! We were there for 6 hours and the time just FLEW by. The atmosphere is so pleasant, the animals so engaging, you can't tell the passing of time. I can't think of a better way to spend the day!
And now I have to get mushy.
I have long wanted to come to Australia. Gosh, since late elementary/early jr. high years, I have thought about coming to this wonderful country. But, when I had Matthew and he fell in awe of Steve Irwin, with John following in his footsteps years later, my dream became that of bringing my boys to this country to see the stomping grounds of their hero.
To actually be there today. To see my boys there. I can't ask for anything more....
How many times do we watch our dreams come true?
Today I watched as my dream came true. How can anything else top that!? I don't think anything else could possibly top this!!! I'll never forget the look on their faces as we walked up to Australia Zoo, home of the Crocodile Hunter.....it will reside in my heart, in my mind, forever!
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