zoo days.

we have a zoo in santiago.

if you can call it that.

it's free, which is always a plus. and it's close. a definite bonus. but, calling it a zoo is quite the stretch.

there are some monkeys, some exotic birds, a lion, two camels and a TON of ostriches. there are also some flamingoes and if i'm not mistaken a boa constrictor. they're decently taken care of, which is more than anyone can say for most latin american zoos (though, morelia, mexico has a better set up than others i've seen).

now, there are other animals, too. but that's where i would call this place a farm more than a zoo. some exotic chickens, chihuahuas, pigs, warthogs, turtles. and a midget cow. that's right. a MIDGET COW.

i wish i could have gotten a picture, but the lighting was bad and those pesky kids kept getting in the way. because on top of being a midget, it was pregnant. alas. next time i will try harder, though i can't promise she'll still be preggers.

samil loves animals. and for all my feelings about zoos (or show-farms, if you will) he loves it and i'm not about to rob him of it. the kid can seriously stare at one animal for hours. he invites himself into homes with rat-dogs, parrots or fish. not to touch them, just to look and point and smile and make noises at them. his first real recognizable word other than mommy was "dawdy" for doggie and when you ask him what sound the doggie makes he says "hoo hoo".

and so, to make up for my lack of pictures. here are some.

these chickens look like punkrockers. ha. and there's a million of them at the zoo. the kids watching the flamingoes drink - sorry you can't see the flamingoes, but they're the normal variety. nothing special. dayanna LOVED them and didn't want to leave.

samil tried to set all of the chickens free. luckily, he didn't succeed.

seriously mesmerized.