Merida Day 31 - the Zoo

I looked in the Rough Guide this morning and found the only thing left to do, for free, in Merida, was to go to the zoo. So we did. We had Patty and Stan (people we met at the English Library, from Calgary) over to dinner last night and polished off half a bottle of tequila. So it was a relatively slow start. We walked the 11, or so, blocks, to the Parque Centario . Because it is still Easter holidays and Saturday it was full of children but its a large enough space and managed the numbers well.
The guide book had only mentioned a good aviary so I wasn't expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised. The aviary is a good size but not a wide selection of birds.

Mum and Dad will recognise these Whistling Ducks. We saw them in Texas
perching on hydro lines.
 

More impressive were the monkeys and the big cats. It was about 11am but a cooler day then most and all the animals were pretty active.

This little guy was very interested when George unzipped his backpack
so we could have a cookie, even though he was eating his own breakfast at the time.

Mother and two young hippos were rolling around and chewing each others
ears.

We could get quite close to the animals

This tiger was very interested in a young boy who was being carried by his Mum. The
tiger followed him right around the cage and jumped at him at one point. George did wonder
if it was the zebra print top the woman was wearing (maybe shouldn't wear that
to the zoo).

Like many older zoos the enclosures are quite small but there is lots of foliage and artificial shade as well. All the animals have plenty of water and most have a pool to swim in. There a lots of logs, ropes, rocks and other items in the cages to simulate natural surroundings. All the animals looked very healthy and were quite active. There were a number of young in evidence, the cutest being a small zebra colt.
We spent a couple of hours at the zoo then walked home. Finished packing, swam, hammocked and tried to finish off the bits and pieces of food and booze. Taxi is supposed to come at 4:30am tomorrow - Oh Joy!
Short post so I thought I would end with some pictures of our kitchen. It is a brilliant piece of design, to make the kitchen a separate room entirely from the rest of the house.

Kitchen door from the small courtyard where the hammock hangs.

The two side doors to the large courtyard. We have never had them open, preferring
to keep bugs, cats and geckos out of the kitchen. However the top halves are screened and
 we have them open all the time. There is also a third double glass door at the back.

Same doors from inside looking out.

The kitchen has lots of counter space and a table that comfortably seats 6.

It has a good size frig and freezer and a 6 burner gas stove.
The centre 2 burners are covered by a griddle.
 

 I will do my last Mexican post tomorrow. I know there is no free wifi in Houston but there might be at the Merida airport.