What a zoo!

For all the planning we do, sometimes the best parts of a vacation happen when you make spur of the moment decisions. Like when you drive 30 minutes to visit some Army medical base museum that your husband really wants to see and then when you get there you discover it's locked even though according to the hours listed on its sign it should be open... and so instead you drive to a zoo that's just a couple miles from the Army base. And you discover it's one of the most impressive zoos you've ever visited.

Here's a closer look at the creatures who were relaxing behind Sydney:

What I really liked about the San Antonio Zoo is just how many animals they had. We didn't have to walk for miles to get from exhibit to exhibit (I hope that doesn't mean the animals were in too small enclosures. I prefer to think the Zoo just had a better layout), and they didn't take up all sorts of space with non-animal exhibits.

Because who needs to see mechanical dinosaurs (which we paid a ridiculous amount to see at the Minnesota Zoo last summer) when you can see real prehistoric creatures like this:

There was one spot where the kids could feed animals. Interestingly, it wasn't the petting zoo or an area with ducks and sea gulls.

It was a pond full of fish.

There were numerous colorful birds.

And whatever this thing was called:

(The problem with writing about a zoo trip on a blog that's supposed to be about my kids, is that most of my photos are of the zoo's creatures instead of my own.)

We saw elephants being fed and groomed:

And zebras:

And a rhino. (We also saw a huge hippo, but it was mostly submerged with its rear end toward us - and looking magnified because it was under water. Not exactly the prettiest image to share. You're welcome.)

The kids were really hoping to see the kangaroo hop. But it just stood there looking bored.

Whatever this is (I'm assuming a type of alligator) the kids were fascinated, and I like how it's jaw is reflected in the water.

Oh, finally a picture with my critters. The petting zoo was really more of a brushing zoo. the kids could walk up to goats and pigs and brush their backs. There was a roped off area in back, and - despite their inability to read the signs - all the animals seemed to understand that that was their time out area where they could safely run if they wanted to escape an overly amorous child.

Of course, my favorite gal/guy at the zoo was this one:

And my favorite guy, who knows the story of how I fell and lost a tooth at age two after being frightened by an ostrich at a zoo, insisted I had to pose for a photo with the squawking bunch.

And my other favorite guy, who also knows the story, insisted he needed to show me he could be just as brave as mom.

What a fun and surprising afternoon it turned out to be. Definitely better than an Army museum.