The zoo.

We took Bean to the zoo while we were on vacation. To be honest, I'm not sure how much she enjoyed seeing the animals. When we ask her about it later on, all she talks about is the train she got to ride on there.

She did get to buy some bubbles in the gift shop and I know she loves those. Maybe she thinks the zoo is where you go to get bubbles. I'm not sure.

The first creatures we encountered at the zoo were the flamingos. If you are a long-time reader of this blog you know that I do not care for birds in the least. But flamingos normally get a pass from my bird-hate because they are pink. But as I stood there watching them, I started to have more "bird hate" feelings about them than "cute pink fluffy" thoughts. If you've ever watched flamingos you'll know that their knees bend in a different direction than our knees bend. It's creepy. It started me thinking of some scary movie I've seen where some possessed person starts crawling up a wall or something. It's just creepy.

Right after the flamingos and before I realized where Hubz was leading me, I found myself in a screened-in enclosure with tens of thousands of Alfred Hitchcock-inspired crazed cretins.

Okay, it was actually probably 100 or so parakeets but I know all they really wanted to do was peck my eyes out.  Bean wasn't really bothered by these foul fowl.  I think she was trying to figure out why Mommy kept squealing and jumping behind Daddy.

I whispered to Hubz that if one of those creatures crapped on me during their continuous dive bombing, he was in for it.  He didn't even look scared.

We survived the scary bird ride and after being given an "all clear" on the bird poo check, we moved onto some real animals.  Here's a rhino.  Can you see him?  Too bad he wasn't wearing a red and white striped sweater.  Then we could play "Where's Rhino?".  Oh never mind.

Here's a real giraffe...

And a Bean-sized one, too.

Here's Beanie B. and Willie B.

A gorilla on a perch.

This is as close to a komodo dragon that I hope Bean ever comes.

Some big cat.

It was at this point I realized that every time I went to take a picture of these zoo-imals, they would all turn their booties towards me.  Hmmph.  Maybe they should all realize that with manners like those, they really do belong in a zoo.

My favorite...the panda.  See, these fellas know how to welcome visitors.  No booties here.

After the pandas, we took a break for some shopping.

It was a day of firsts.  First trip to the zoo.  First ride on the carousel.

And the first ride on a train.  If you are planning a trip to Zoo Atlanta and a ride on their train, they haven't oiled the train's wheels so don't be surprised when you get off the train and realize you now have about 40-50% hearing loss.  I warned ya.

When Bean realized the zoo had a "park", she truly was in heaven.

Bubbles, trains, and a "park".  What more could a girl want?  Ah, yes...chocolate ice cream.

All in all, it was a great day at the zoo.  We'll have to go again once Bean discovers her love of animals and once I am fully recovered from that bird attack.