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Susan Glancy • May 26, 2021

We’re Going to the Zoo!!

We’re Going to the Zoo!!

Monday 30th May 2016 10am. I am sitting in the car with my husband, my overly excited cousin and my tiredy toddler. We are on the way to Dublin Zoo. This will be BB’s second time here and hopefully as much fun as the first time. Husband bought a yearly pass and by god are we going to use it any chance we get! Cousin, the sensible one, purchased her ticket online the night before. No queues for us thank you very much and a special separate entrance for us chosen ones. At least that's how I see it. 

We get there soon after 11am and the queues are already quite long. We sail passed them, more than a little pleased with ourselves. We, of the yearly pass and pre-bought ticket, are admitted and with maps in hand, there is no stopping us! The Zoo is our oyster! 

It is a beautiful day and there’s a nice size crowd plus one or two school tours. A quick nappy change and we are off! We were just in time for the Asian lion talk. Very informative and easy to understand. BB completely oblivious, oohs and aahs and makes ‘here kitty’ motions through the glass. She is somewhat disappointed that the lions don't respond. 

Next is madness with monkeys and more ‘here kitty’ motions. Still no response. What is wrong with these animals?! 

We move on, there’s oodles to see and BB is in flying form! From her buggy, she oversees everything. Waving at random strangers, pointing at everything, asking to get out. Then we get to the good bit. The Tigers!!

The first time we were at the zoo, she fell in love with the tigers. We arrived at the right time and they were pacing the enclosure. And BB was a live wire! So we knew what to expect this time. 

We were wrong. There’s a nice crowd at the tigers and they are up pacing and playing around the enclosure. BB goes mental! There’s oohs. There’s aahs. There’s laughter. There is, of course, the here kitty motion. When that doesn't work, she tries to climb through the glass. Unsuccessfully I might add, just in case you’re wondering. She paces the glass with the tiger. The crowd think she’s hilarious. The more they laugh, the more excited and wound up BB gets. It's crazy! We eventually pry her away for lunch, a welcome break. Lunch is a light picnic and another nappy change. 

Onward, into the African Plains. BB is not quite sure what kind of animals these are but she’s pretty sure the hippo oinks and everything else sounds like a horse. Go figure. This continues for the rest of this part. Everything neighs. Except the tortoise, they hiss like snakes, apparently. I for one, never knew that, I’m glad BB is so informed. At 18 months, where she got this knowledge is beyond me!! 

We continue at a relaxed pace until we reach the Family Farm. Here everything go nuts! We thought the tiger was the highlight.
 Oh no! We see moos, baas, oinks, bok boks, mega geg gegs, and a hop hop bunny. For those of you who need an adult friendly translation that's cows, sheep, pigs, hens, goats and, you guessed it, a rabbit. 

We walk around examining everything in great detail! One poor sheep is lying against the fence, BB wastes no time in having a good feel of the poor creature’s wool. That’s the end of that. The excitement reaches fever pitch and there is no escape! 

I’m not actually sure how we make our escape but we do. And it's on to the Meerkat Restaurant for chips and one ginormous burger(mine). BB eats all round her. My god that girl can eat! It still amazes me the amount of food she put away.

 We are at the end of our outing and with a quick stop at the gift shop and one last nappy change, it's back to the car. 

It's been a wonderful day. I love the Zoo, it's always been one of my favourite place. I didn't think it could get any more exciting until BB came along. It's a whole new perspective. 

Watching her excitement adds to the whole experience. I can't wait for the next day. And as for BB, she sleeps the whole way home, a content smile on her little face.

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