Sunday, November 18, 2007

• Some of the animals I met along the way...
  
  
  An egret in Tampa.
  I love these birds.
  
  

  
  A wee giraffe.
  Giraffes are my personal favorite animal.
  

  
  The above photo, and the two below, are from the safari experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  This was our first visit to this park, we did the Magic Kingdom the previous day and went back to Tampa after we finished Animal Kingdom.  I would like to go back, there is a lot we missed, but I was happy we got on this safari early and avoided the long lines.  I would do this one again and again.  It was an awesome personal experience, because the animals are close, very close (I did not zoom these photos, though I did crop) and it isn't a ride, per se... it's a long jeep that is truly driven with a guide and they do not stop no matter what, not for cameras or bags (though they might stop for children).  There's the usual pretend poacher attack, but everything else is like driving through Africa.  I did not keep track but it was at least twenty minutes long.  It was as close to an authentic African safari that I will ever get in this lifetime and it carried a very strong lesson/message about poaching and extinction (beyond the fake bullets shots... though you do get to save a baby elephant!.  Oldest girl and I were able to really talk about that afterward, and I had the info right there to answer her questions.  J. got the message as well.
  
  
  The Mama. So graceful.
  
  The animals roamed free and together as they would in the wild, no cages or fencing... only some shelters.  It was amazing to see how it all comes together, the plants and the animals, when not rucked up by mankind.  I'm sure it is done with invisible fences and such, but it just felt so much better to see animals like this rather than go to a zoo (a visit to which always leaves me with mixed feelings and some remorse).  The vibe I got from them was contentment and balance.  I felt no sadness and that made me feel glad.
  

  
  Another Mama and her baby.
  

  
  Peaceful blessings.
  Good night.
  

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