I wasn't really expecting too much intensity when we first decided to head to the zoo. Some of my study abroadmates were really looking forward to seeing the native giant pandas here in their home country, and I am always up for an adventure. Three subway lines, a taxi, 130RMB, and 2 hours later, we arrived at the Beijing Zoo, sweaty and weary. On the priority list was pandas, big cats, and penguins... and food.
Food consisted of fried chicken drumsticks, Ramen noodle rip-offs, or tomato flavored Pringles. I went with Pringles. Those that had chicken donated their leftover bones to a stray/wild cat wandering around the grounds.
The pandas were aplenty at the Olympic Games Panda House, as many of the country's captive bears were brought to Beijing after the earthquake that tore up the southwest provinces in May. They built a brand-new big and beautiful exhibit for the displaced animals and turned it into a nice touristy facility.
The rest of the compound felt a little more like the "things-are-just-different" China I've gotten used to the past couple of weeks. The big cats exhibit was simply a large concrete building with rows of stalls, each one containing a different cat. While it was really cool to be close and see each animal, I felt a little uncomfortable about the manner in which they were displayed. It was very much unlike the plush, green habitats I'm used to visiting.
The Beijing Zoo maintains a very accessible environment for humans and animals to interact. There were minimal barriers between the common areas and the animal habitats, which allowed for a very clear view of each attraction. At the African plains exhibit, I watched a group of children feed a zebra an ice cream cone. Near the giraffes, a little girl stood by herself inside the habitat feeding the animals.
Food consisted of fried chicken drumsticks, Ramen noodle rip-offs, or tomato flavored Pringles. I went with Pringles. Those that had chicken donated their leftover bones to a stray/wild cat wandering around the grounds.
The pandas were aplenty at the Olympic Games Panda House, as many of the country's captive bears were brought to Beijing after the earthquake that tore up the southwest provinces in May. They built a brand-new big and beautiful exhibit for the displaced animals and turned it into a nice touristy facility.
The rest of the compound felt a little more like the "things-are-just-different" China I've gotten used to the past couple of weeks. The big cats exhibit was simply a large concrete building with rows of stalls, each one containing a different cat. While it was really cool to be close and see each animal, I felt a little uncomfortable about the manner in which they were displayed. It was very much unlike the plush, green habitats I'm used to visiting.
The Beijing Zoo maintains a very accessible environment for humans and animals to interact. There were minimal barriers between the common areas and the animal habitats, which allowed for a very clear view of each attraction. At the African plains exhibit, I watched a group of children feed a zebra an ice cream cone. Near the giraffes, a little girl stood by herself inside the habitat feeding the animals.
As itt turns out, there really is an adventure behind every door here in China. There's something new and interesting to discover everywhere you go, even in the most normal, casual of places. I guess Jimmy Buffett's right, "That's just the way it happens on the far side of the world!"
XOXO
XOXO
No comments:
Post a Comment