Sommer's Sunshine: 1st trip to Honolulu Zoo!

In my 32 years of life I've only gone to the zoo less than I can count on one hand. Mainly because there aren't many zoos where I grew up on the Navajo 'Rez..... actually when I was growing up they had opened just one, the Navajo Nation Zoo. It wasn't very memorable except for a poor eagle they had in a cage. I guess we got enough exposure to live animals and lizards in our daily 'rez actvities that there wasn't much need for visiting them in an enclosed environment. However, we had lots of opportuities to travel to various surrounding cities just outside the 'rez boarders through school sponsored trips.

Trips were used as rewards for good grades and good attendance. My sister Crystal actually had 100% attendance up until my oldest brother Joseph went on his mission. That's when she missed only 1 day in 8 years of school! I had 100% attendance up until I got braces in 5th grade. So we had lots of opportunities to go on quarterly trips to the community pool in Gallup New Mexico located 2 hours away. It was always fun to go as there were not any pools nearby........I'll never forget the warm milk that came with the sack lunches- not to mention most Indian kids were lactose intolerant.....which made for a memorable ride home!

The highlight of the trip was usually when we had the chance to stop at a gas station on the way home and purchase some snacks (as long as we were well behaved). I even remember getting ice cream cones at the Dairy Queen located on the way out of town once.

We worked all year long to raise money for other year-end class trips by having Navajo Taco and frybread sales every Friday or having cake walks and bingo games on the weekends. In a small rez community everyone comes out to the "events" at the school since there isn't much else going on.

One year I remember getting to go to the Albuquerque Zoo. My mom came along as a chaperone. I can't remember seeing any of the animals but I most remember the boys in my class buying a bunch of rubber snakes that they had a hay day running around scaring all the girls. My mom always HATED snakes, and they got a huge kick out of putting them on her feet or in her bag...she was REALLY good sport.

I also remember that my mom was so nice to this one girl that I didn't like. (I was kind of a bully when I was younger and liked to wreck havoc whenever I got the chance.) I couldn't understand why she was nice to this one girl...even buying her some snacks and a toy at the zoo. My mom had taken me aside and explained to me that I need to be kind to others because you don't always know what is going on in their life. Later I learned this little girl didn't have much...she came from a large family that lived in a one room, dirt floor hogan, with no electricity or running water and cooked over an open fire. Over the years I learned that there were lots of kids in my class that was helped in one way or another by my mom. You get to know everyone REALLY well when you attend the same school together pre-school through Jr High.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I got to go to the Honolulu Zoo on my day off for the very first time! I went with my two friends Nicky and Cheryl who also brought their sons. The very first animal we saw were the Flamingos.

I couldn't get over that they look JUST LIKE the fake ones you put on your lawn.....well maybe not EXACTLY like them but they sure looked fake! Can you believe they actually stand on those toothpick legs?!

My most favorite animals though were the MONKEYS!!! They are so human-like and I was amazed at how graceful they are when swinging.

I love the white and black ones- they are so cute!

This guy kept hiding from my camera but was having tons of fun with the tire!

There were also these HUGE turtles that were SUPER old. They were kinda smelly...

I also liked seeing the crocodiles/alligators too. These guys had funny snouts.

The elephant was SURE DIRTY! He liked to throw dirt on himself. He also had some EPIC "homemade" piles that I didn't take a picture of. Yeah, the zoo definitely has some unique sights AND smells!

Apparently they just completed the new enclosure for them where they have more room to run around. (I think I have an elephant butt- all flat with skinny legs- it made me giggle.....)

I thought this guy was a stork but found out it was actually an albatross. He was the hugest bird I've ever seen...scary! (although the picture makes him seem so small....I SWEAR he was bigger than me!)

I thought it was funny that they had the giraffes and zebras together cuz for some reason I thought the zebras would chase the giraffes around, but then again I guess they are both just a different kind of horse huh?

They also had a petting zoo where we got to pet the goats. It really reminded me of going to visit grandma's house....I don't know why I was so afraid of the goats and sheep as a kid since they are pretty chill.

Don't be mistaken....this scary picture below isn't of one a zoo animal but actually my shadow. I've gotten so used to Scotty taking all the pictures all the time that I need a little practice using my camera.