Zoo Knew?

Today we went to the Zoo!



The Philly Zoo (which claims to be America's First Zoo...) all I know is it was far superior to the Bronx Zoo in that it actually had quite a large assortment of animals... We had discussed with Thisbe going to Reading Terminal given that it was going to be toasty, but when we got the zoo the weather was still not too hot so we figured we'd give it a go.





They had lions, bears, polar bears, zebra, giraffes, various primates (including gorillas), birds, penguins, lots of ducks (a Miss Baby fave), hippos, a rhino, otters, a camel, ponies, goats and bunnies, and free range peacocks. Most of the smarter animals were in semi-hiding due to the sunny, warm temperatures but there were a number of presumably less intelligent animals out in full view, sun beating down relentlessly (humans included).

Also on display were a large pack of Amish who were apparently bused in via wagon and draft horse.


Upon arrival at the zoo we looked for parking. We pulled up to the "Frog lot" which is at the corner of the back of the zoo and the amtrak line (which has about six tracks, a 10 foot high fence with barbed wire and a generally unfriendly look to it.) We pulled up and were to be the last car in the frog lot in what would be about as far away from the entrance to the zoo as possible while still being in a zoo parking lot. I was skeptical. I pulled up to the young blond woman who was dolling out parking passes and asked whether there was some other lot. She had a walkie talkie and after I asked her about the parking situation she responded with, "you're in luck, drive all the way down this drive and there is one space at the front that's open. It's pretty close to the zoo entrance." Okay, so we head forward, cars lined up on either side of the drive, passing all along the back of the zoo, past various service entrances and past a bunch of Amtrak workers in hard hats doing construction on the rail yards and generally not looking very safe and/or family friendly for when we need to actually leave the zoo.... after a good little drive we end up at the end of the line. There's a man in our path dressed in zoo garb and wearing a coolie hat. There is one parking space-- he has a walkie talkie just like the other parking attendant and he waives us into the space. I take a look to the right just beyond where we're parking and what do I see? The zoo entrance. Score! I asked no questions and just thanked the man in the hat and we were on our way.








After the zoo we still were looking to kill some time but now we were looking for air conditioning. The King of Prussia sounded like a good option as I had never visited it before and figured that it is generally too far out of the way just to make a special trip there but it was only a few exits down on the PA Turnpike from the Zoo. We found a prime parking spot next to Neiman Marcus and headed on in. When we walked out from NM into the Mall there was a beautiful Hermes store on our left and on our right was a sign with an arrow pointing the way to JC Penney's. I can honestly say I've never quite seen such an odd assortment of stores together in one mall. What a bad leasing strategy! I mean come on, Cartier in the same mall as a Wet Seal and Frederick's of Hollywood?? Please! Somewhere, French people are mortified.
The upside, however, to this arrangement was that Miss B and I were able to share some pretzel sticks from Auntie Anne's (all those times I passed by the folks making the pretzels at he Auntie Anne's in Rock Center, now I visit two malls in a two week period and I succumb both times to pretzels...) No purchases were made on behalf of either of us girls but we did find some great Zegna summer goodies for the Husband at NM. On the way home we took the "scenic" route going 202 all the way back to Lambertville (where we hooked up with the infamous 518)... along the way we hit up a Wawa-- one of the few remaining stockists of Nantucket Nectar's half-and-half. Overall an eventful day.