SO many pictures from Day 4, I decided to split it up into two posts. Here's Part 1!
Because of the Escondido heat, we decided to split our trip to the Safari Park into 2 mornings. Here are the kids planning their first day at the big map!
Look what just hatched!
At the foot massaging machines early; preparing feet for lots of walking.
Maren on some (fake) lily pads!
I just like this picture.
The appropriately named Shoebill Bird!
Deacon and Maren spot another fascinating creature!
A "giant" roly-poly.
In line for the Africa Tram Safari (the only vehicular tour that doesn't cost over $100 per person), the kids get to see an antelope horn up close.
This truck tour that gets you a bit closer to the animals is $137 per person. So we didn't do that.
Hold onto that hat, Deacon!
Apparently these Cape Buffalo are the most dangerous animals (to humans) in Africa, killing more people per year than rhinos, hippos, lions and crocodiles do.
These African Donkeys were playing, and put on a good show!
An endangered Northern White Rhino, one of 8 left in the world.
These bulls are prized in Africa for their wide-set horns, which can be as wide as a car.
Some non-endangered rhinos.
The kids with our driver/guide! There's one thing missing, though...
Deacon's favorite hat, which blew off just before finishing the tour. Fortunately they recovered it quickly!
So refreshing on a very hot day...
Maren dumps some water on her head!
These birds have eyelashes.
Maren and Deacon with the East African Crowned Crane male.
The female, on her nest!
A little Southern Gerenuk!
The Okapi was once thought to be extinct, or even mythical! All I know is that now there's a toy version in my house.
Taking a snack break. After the first day of theme park-priced meals, we brought all our own food.
It soon became unbearably hot outside and we decided to cool off before leaving with some A/C in a gift shop. The kids didn't mind at all!
Nice lighting for pics in the gift shop, too!
I would have paid this lady just to cool off in the store, but we got some toys, too!
A short movie... Deacon played some drums early in the day. The movie seems to want to appear here on the page, so I'm not going to try to move it to the beginning of the post!
Next, we'll have Day 4, Part 2: a visit to the old Presidio site and (unrelated) Ricky's Restaurant. The original Spanish soldiers who inhabited the Presidio didn't have a Ricky's Restaurant on site, as far as I know.
