School's out and what better way to kick off semana santa (Holy Week) than a visit to the Barcelona Zoo?
We met a couple of Zac's friends and their mums/dads at the entrance. When we got there, we realised we were the first ones there. As you can see from the line in the background, practically every family in Barcelona who had young children had descended on the little zoo today too! The usually tranquil, uncrowded embiance of the zoo was bustling with children running amok, parents yelling at said children to get them to comply. It was like a zoo!
Joanna and Maxwell were first to arrive followed by Michelle and Miles on bike. Nuria and Sofia Rogers came a little later too. Since we didn't have the family pass everyone else had, we had to stand in line and buy tickets. A really good thing about this place as well as a lot of other attractions in Barcelona, children under the age of 3 go in for free!
Our first stop was the dolphin auditorium where there was a fun performance. I discovered that Zac does NOT like dolphins. While everyone else was applauding and hoots of excitement, he cried and whined the whole time save for the short interval where the dolphins bounced big rubber balls into the crowd. I did try to stay till the end since I wanted to inadertantly teach him that there was something worth being afraid of in that show. He calmed down a little towards the end but as soon as the final bows were taken, he pointed to the exit and said "GO".
Zac saying 'hi' to Miquel, the only other living thing to pique his interest.
The rest of the afternoon after the show was a blur and as Michelle put it, it was a little like "herding cats" from exhibit to exhibit. My boy was much more interested in running in no particular direction with only a stray cat making him stop in his tracks. The girls now including Nora and her dad and Sofia with her mum Ele and brother Miquel actually did stop to give some attention to the animals. We'd lost Maxwell and Miles (along with their mums) right after the dolphin show since they'd taken off in opposite directions resulting in mums yelling "we're bound to run into each other later" or "if we see you, we see you"!
We eventually stopped to feed the brood in front of the petting zoo where there was a requisite cafeteria and a big open space to picnic on. The weather was perfect for dining alfresco and it was a good thing it was since the tables and benches were packed solid with exhausted parents and overtired youngens. It was exceptionally nice to be able to sit on the grass and have a little something to eat with friends and their little ones. I don't know about Zac but I think I enjoyed this part the most.
After a bit more running around on the open grass and a stop at the cheetah enclosure, we headed for the petting zoo where a playground was the centrepiece. It was pandamonium and I think if I was an animal in that part of the zoo, I'd need some serious psychotherapy. Zac spent most of this time in the fort-and-slide structure while the rest ran around trying our the different playthings, occasionally paying some attention to the overstimulated animals in the corrals surrounding the playground. We spent practically an hour in there and just as we managed to gather the little ones, they open the goat section to let the children have a go at getting up close and (too) personal with the animals.
Ele and I stayed on the outside while Nuria and Tim went in with the kids. Zac looked pretty bewildered but was curious enough to try and pet one of the hairy things on four legs. What interested him more was the twigs the goats were chewing on and black pellets on the ground which on closer inspection was goat caca (read: poop).
The last ones standing get one last hurrah.
By now, the weather was turning and we were all getting really really tired so we made our way towards the exit. Nuria and Tim continued on their way to see some other animals with their girls but Ele and I decided to quit while we were ahead and mosey on home. On our way out, Ele bought Zac and Sofia an ice lolly from one of the many vending machines littering the zoo. It gave them both just enough pep for us to be able to leave the zoo sans any dramatic antics.
Even though my feet hurt, and all I remember was the dolphin show and the backside of an elephant, I think it was one of those rather lovely, perfect days.
