Missouri & Iowa with the Stocks

[Dean & Linda Stock]

October 26, 2011 Day 36 Bossier, Louisiana

We ate a quick half-a-sandwich for breakfast and set out in the Jeep for Petit Jean State Park.  At the movies last night, people told me how beautiful the area was, and I had called ahead to make sure that the falls were still running, to which the ranger replied, ?They are always running.?  The colors were the best we?ve seen, and it is beautiful forested country. The weather was absolutely gorgeous--low 80's, with a very gentle breeze.  There were several RVs camped, and they have full facilities.  They have the smallest Visitors Center ever.  Dean went in to get directions to the falls, and the ranger on duty this time told him he?d be disappointed because they were barely a trickle.  I had called only 2 or 3 days ago, so I was unhappy.

We came back to Conway to pick up the coach (Walmart was on the road we needed to take out of town, so it did make sense to leave the coach there.), and set off to Brown?s Restaurant, just 35 miles away.  It had been highly recommended, and there were big signs along the highway advertising their 100? long buffet.  I had called ahead, and they told me they had big rig and RV parking?well, it wasn?t a total lie.  The BP gas station next door is out of business, and trucks had parked there.  The parking lot at Brown?s specifically PROHIBITS RVs.  There were only 2 empty spaces.  Lunch was $9.  There is a senior discount, but we didn?t ask, and it wasn?t offered.  Drinks were extra.  The food was OK.  It was All-You-Can-Eat, but nothing special?except for the wonderful hushpuppies, fried okra, and catfish.  The fried chicken might have also been wonderful; I noticed a lot of people loading up on it.  I had another piece of catfish instead of dessert.  The gift shop has lots of Arkansas ?Hog? souvenirs, Christmas ornaments, stained glass hangings, coonskin caps, fudge, and trinkets.

Staying at Horseshoe Casino in Bossier parking lot?row parking, crowded, I?m posting early so we don?t have to run the generator.  It?s too late to call parks now, but if we were earlier, I?d check out other options.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

.  I read recently about the bats having White Nose Syndrome and it's becoming critical in some caves.
ArdraF

The problem is mostly on the East Coast.  The ranger told us that they are decontaminating people when they exit Mammoth Caves because they have the problem in them and they don't want it to spread.  He also spoke ill of private caves because they don't take precautions.  They can be shut down if they have it.  However, they also know that there are pitifully few inspectors, and they don't want to discourage paying customers.  Each night, the average bat eats 3000 insects (I think of mosquitoes--yea, BATS!).

 

[Wendy]

Technically, they're not supposed to ask you how old you are. And technically, they're not supposed to give you the senior discount unless you ask. So we always ask for it

Wendy

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

Technically, they're not supposed to ask you how old you are. And technically, they're not supposed to give you the senior discount unless you ask. So we always ask for it

Wendy

I love saving money, so we'll make a point of doing that from now on.  I did hear them ask another party if anyone qualified for a senior discount or military discount.  I really like the way the people in Missouri and Arkansas honor their veterans, and some of the places even have a hierarchy of veteran discounts (from least to most)--retired, then active military, and the ultimate-- people who have been POWS or received a Purple Heart (they get in places free). 

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

October 27, 2011 Day 37 Bossier, Louisiana

It was late when we came in, and we just wanted something simple, so we ate at the Horseshoe?s coffee shop?The 8-Ounce.  I thought their short-rib grilled cheese with BBQ sauce on sourdough was great, and Dean really enjoyed his burger.  The casino was nice and gave us enough money to fill out gas tank the next 4 or 5 times.  They have a wide variety of games, with a wide variety of denominations.  We won at $10 blackjack.

At noon, we dropped by the Harrah?s Louisian Downs Casino, just long enough to earn 30 points at the slots to earn their ?free? buffet.  It was expensive for being free, but tasted wonderful.  I had my first gumbo (SPICY!) and catfish.  I loved their chicken ala king.  Everything was deliciously prepared.  They had 4 varieties of sugar-free pies.

We drove  217 miles to Jackson and ate my delicious dinner preparation. (Thank God for microwaves to heat up leftovers.)

Staying at Jackson?s Walmart.

 

[Wendy]

How come you always win gambling? What are your secrets   Glad you're still having fun.

Wendy

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

October 28, 2011 Day 38 Biloxi, Mississippi

Jackson is a difficult capitol to see.  It is only open Monday through Friday, one of the very few that are only open 5 days.  Many are even open for the afternoon on Sunday.

We went to the what we thought was Old Capitol Museum first.  I had talked to a volunteer there, and she had arranged with the Capitol Police for us to park the motorhome on Amite St. in the ?Bus Parking? at the curb.  If that weren?t possible, the only way we could have done it was to leave the coach at Walmart, drive into the capitols with the Jeep, then go back and pick up the coach.

We mistakenly went into a war and soldiers building, with all manner of veterans departments and organizations.  It had wonderful metal doors with great metal art on them commemorating famous battles.  It wasn?t worth going inside, but the outside sculptures were interesting.

The original capitol was used until 1901.  After that it was abandoned and fell into disrepair, then was used for the State Fair, and as state offices, re-abandoned, then was made usable, but not restored state museum..  When Hurricane Katrina came through, the roof was taken off by the wind and many artifacts that were stored there in a little museum were lost forever.  The legislature then decided to reconstruct the old capitol as a museum (with federal relief funds?), but it?s kind of a hodgepodge.  They didn?t bring it back to the original.  Instead, they tried to represent all the different things it had been.  However, it did have a good movie and some interesting tidbits.  I learned that Mississippi was the first state to let women own property.  Voters had to pay a poll tax until 1968?amazing, isn?t it?  They were very proud of the capitol dome that they discovered (Picture 1).  They had a Keeper of the Capitol. (Picture 2) His job was to have worn carpet replaced, arrange for any repairs and renovations, open the Capitol in the morning and lock it up at night.  He also kept the books for the capitol?s expenses and was the state librarian.  He was allowed to sleep in the capitol building, as his job was non-ending.

We could see the new capitol?s dome, so we walked about 5 city blocks over to it.  The sidewalks were in disrepair, and only about 50% of the corners had curb-cuts, which made navigating challenging.  The capitol, built from 1901-1903,  (Picture 3) had a statue in front (Picture 4).  The only tours are self-guided with an inadequate list of facts.  They are very proud of the architecture on both capitols.  There seems to be little symbolism of relevance to Mississippi.  They use Greek keys, pineapples, garlands, and a Roman portico.  They tell us that the eagle is 8? tall with a wingspan of 15?, and is made of copper clad with gold leaf.  But, what relevance does the eagle have to Mississippi?

The old state supreme court (Picture 4) was held in the capitol building. There were 6 seats.  Are there 6 justices?  Wouldn?t that be bad because there could be tie votes.  Behind the justices? chairs there is a wood area, and behind there is a wide carpeted platform.  Why?  These are questions a tour guide would answer.

The state supreme court  now has a building of their own across the street, but there was yellow ?Do Not Enter? tape across all the stairs leading to the front of it, and there was yellow tape blocking all of the front doors.  Why?

Picture 5 is the House of Representatives, and Picture 6 is the Senate.  They are unique for 2 reasons.  They are the only capitol of the 35+ we have visited where you enter from the front of the chamber instead of the rear.  Secondly, they were the most squished and cluttered chambers we?ve seen.

We then traveled a little over 200 miles on interstates to Biloxi.

Boondocking at Grand Casino?hoping to be able to find a different spot tomorrow.  High today is in the high 50?s, and it is drizzly.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

How come you always win gambling? What are your secrets   Glad you're still having fun.

Wendy

Don't let anyone ever tell you they always win.  I am well up on this trip, but that's unusual.  We gambled a little tonight, and I lost.  But...not nearly what I won before.  Dean and I set a certain amount  aside for gambling when we go out.  We each have our own pot, and when it's gone, we quit.  If we win, we add that to our pot.  Dean had a great streak at blackjack, and that's what he used to pay for our Motostat.  By limiting our losses, we don't hurt our budget.  Blackjack has the highest payback rate of any casino game at less than 1% casino profit, and we've studied the odds on different hands and how to maximize our wins and minimize our losses.  When we see you, I'll share it with you.  But, casinos always have the edge.  And, over the years, they have more of our money than we have of theirs.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

I forgot to post pictures--it's late, and my brain is only firing on 2 cylinders.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

October 29 & 30, 2011 Days 39 & 40 Bay Saint Louis

We were shocked that the coast has not been more rebuilt since Hurricane Katrina.  As we drove into Bay Saint Louis, we saw lot after lot with no buildings and a ?FOR SALE? sign, some re-built buildings with ?FOR SALE? signs?probably 90% of the land along the coast is on the market. 

When we came into the RV park, I asked the owner about his experience.  He said he had over 5 feet of standing water on his property for over 3 weeks after the hurricane.  His property taxes have increased from $1200/year to $7200 now, primarily because people have abandoned their property and aren?t paying taxes, so those who do pay taxes have to pay more.  His insurance also used to be $1200 and is now $7200.  The whole RV park was a loss, and he had no flood insurance.  He says they have never ever had a flood before, and no one had flood insurance.  His house, which is 2 miles away, was totally under water.  I now understand why the re-building hasn?t taken place; they don?t have any money to do it. 

An RVForumer told us to  eat at The Mockingbird Caf? because they have great burgers and salads, so we drove to the shore to give it a go.  The place is a cute re-modeled bungalow, and the burgers were quite delicious.  Even the beach was blockaded with K-rails.  We decided to go to a movie, but we had to stop at Walmart to pick up boiler anti-freeze.  We ran out last night when we were boondocking.  It was super cold because a storm was coming in, and the wind was blowing a gale.  I like to froze, so I made sure we had a place with electricity for Bay Saint Louis.  Walmart didn?t have it, but Dean spent so long that we by-passed the time for the movie.  We decided to drive to Gulfport to see  what was there, and we passed a beautiful casino with a walkway that spanned the whole highway.  The Island View Casino gave us a free buffet ($23/each) for playing blackjack for an hour, gave us $10 in free play each for being new to them, and we broke even. 

The second day we went to the movies, drove around, and went shopping.  We didn?t make it to Lil Ray?s in Long Beach, which is famous for their bread pudding.  The sun came out, and we welcomed it.  Our hearts go out to these poor people, who are trying to make it back.

Stayed at Hancock RV Park?50 amps, FHU, $41/2 nights on Passport America, really nice managers who told us we could check out as late as we liked.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

October 31, 2011 Day 41 New Orleans

We were grateful that the managers let us stay at Hancock late, as the trip was only 66 miles, and this park is full.  The park in the French Quarter wanted $75 a night!  We chose to return to Jude, where we stayed in 2009. 

We made arrangements to take a Mississippi River dinner cruise on the Natchez, the only  still operating steam-powered paddlewheeler. (Picture 1) Coupons for $5 off per ticket were available when I googled ?New Orleans Discount coupons?.  The tickets were $56 each.

The buffet was very good, with tender amberjack fish, which I had never tasted before, juicy chicken, fabulous smoked beef brisket, and bread pudding.  I love good jazz, and the Dukes of Dixieland played sweet music.  (Picture 4)  When they took a break, Dean went below to see the steam engine. (Pictures 2 & 3) We met an interesting couple from Austria and enjoyed great conversation.  It was a great evening, one I would highly recommend to others.  I am going to plan another jazz evening while we are here.

Staying at Jude Travel Camp ? 50 amps, FHU, WiFi, cable, no atmosphere, total $35.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

November 1, 2011 Day 42 New Orleans

We got up early to be at the Jean Laffitt National Park, located in the French Quarter.  It is the only national park composed of six sites, separated by over 200 miles, and it is the only urban national park.

They do a walking tour at 9:30, and give out free tickets starting at 9:00.  However, there are only 25 tickets, so we wanted to be there early.  We got our tickets and then enjoyed reading the displays while we waited about half an hour for the walk to begin.  Our guide, Maggie, was great, and I would recommend this tour for anyone new to New Orleans. 

I learned so much.  Jean Laffitt was a ?legal? pirate, who the King of France granted permission to raid Spanish ships.  Later, he brought troups into the Battle of New Orleans and was the main reason that Andrew Jackson won that battle and the War of 1812.  In return, he bargained for a presidential pardon.  He was honored with a national holiday on January 8 up until the Civil War occurred.

The Mississippi is 2300 miles long, and means ?great river? in French.  They established New Orleans 100 miles upriver from the mouth because it was the first land high enough and dry enough to buld a settlement.  The French Quarter was the original high land, and it did not flood during Hurricane Katrina.  However, many of  the buildings had their roofs blown off by the 175 mph winds and were totaled by the torrential rains.  We have seen a lot more construction going on this time than we did 3 years ago, but well over half of the homes are now vacant lots or are ?tear-downs?.  We also see many shopping areas that had major name-brand stores that are fenced off and vacant.

New Orleans was originally a native American trading post.  In 1541 Desoto explored the Mississippi River that he had heard about from the Native Americans.  He found the river in Memphis, explored it all the way to Texas, and then his men killed him. 

100 years later, the French king asked fur traders in Canada to explore further.  La Salle found the Mississippi, and he sailed its whole 2300 mile length, placed a cross, claimed it for France, and left.

As time progressed, Spain got more and more active in Florida, and the King of France got nervous about their proximity, so he hired 2 Canadians to come to France and bring over 400 colonists.  They were the ones who started Mardi Gras as a one-day celebration, kind of like one last party, before the 40 days of Lent.  They asked the Native Americans to bring drums and food and celebrate with them.

In 1700, Jean Baptiste realized this would be a great place to establish a port and trading post.  The King of France, aged 4, was managed by corrupt adults, and that corruption extended over to New Orleans, where they say, ?We have the best government that money can buy!?  The ranger said they have worked hard to clean it up, and she believes it is better, but still present.  Baptiste drew pictures of green pastureland, crystal blue waters with pearls lining the riverbanks, and solicited illiterate farmers and fishermen.  They came over and didn?t have enough money to return.  However, there weren?t enough people to have a great hold on the land because of diseases like malaria and yellow fever.  So the king ordered the emptying of the Bastille?but they had to come to Louisiana if they wanted out, and they had to be married.  Who would marry them?  Prostitutes were willing to leave.  However, after they came, many reverted to their previous profession, hence Bourbon Street. 

The king of France decided that governing Louisiana was too big a pain and too expensive, so he gave it to his cousin, the king of Spain.  However, he didn?t tell the citizens who found out  3 years later when Spain sent its first governor.

The ranger then told us about a dozen ethnic groups, why they came, and how they have contributed to New Orleans. 

In 1800 the king of Spain decided that Louisiana wasn?t worthwhile, so he gave it back to France.  Once gain, the residents didn?t find out until 3 years later.  They were so happy they threw a big party.  But, 6 weeks later, Napoleon sold them, and he told them they were now Americans.  They were not happy!  They thought that Great Britain looked down on them.  Canal Street is the dividing line between the French Quarter and the American side (Garden District) with their big beautiful homes on big lots.  The Brits were not welcome in the French Quarter.

In 1892, the first paddlewheel steamship came to NO (New Orleans).  Before that they had always come downriver on flatbottom boats, pushed by poles.  Then they took apart the boat and sold the lumber, because people were willing to buy it to build homes.  Then they would walk back upriver on the Natchez Trace.  With the paddlewheelers came prosperity, but all the different factions were fighting. 

Meanwhile, the British were rallying the Native Americans to participate in the War of 1812.  In Europe, American ships were being stopped and boarded by the British, and they were stealing what they wanted. They would also kidnap American citizens and force them to fight for France.  President James Madison wasn?t going to tolerate that, so we attacked Canada and got slaughtered.  However, we did burn the Canadian capitol, York.  Of course, they retaliated and burned Washington, D. C.  Madison temporarily freed the slaves to defend NO.  This is when Lafitte came to the rescue of the outmanned US.  In the Battle of NO, less than 20 American died, and half of the British troops were killed.  There were parties and parades, and the walls between the different cultures came down.

In the 1860?s, with the influx of Irish and Italians, the partying of Mardi Gras began.  They were both very Catholic cultures, and the Irish celebrated St. Patrick?s Day on March 17, while the Italians celebrated St. Joseph?s Day on March 19 by throwing cabbages, carrots, cups, and beads.  Both groups had parades, and the whole city celebrated.  Then they turned it into a 3-day celebration and included the 18th.  Then they decided to include the weekend before the 17th and the weekend after.  Mardis Gras now lasts 2 weeks.  The pictures on TV show the Bourbon Street scene, but families celebrate in parks with parades and different kinds of parties.  The motto is, ?We?re all gonna have a good time!?

Our guide pointed out two large buildings donated to NO by the Baronessa of Pontalba, who loved NO.  One building housed the government, and the other housed the priests.  She also had a cathedral built in between them (Picture 1).  She felt that she had been so generous that President Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans, should tip his hat to her when he came to town on his horse.  However, he refused.  So she had a big statue of him on his horse erected, and when she looked out her third-floor window, she could see him, with his horse rearing back on two legs, tipping his hat to her.

The tour ended at the famous Caf? du Monde, where we enjoyed caf? au lait and beignets.  (Picture 2)

I have been eager to see wildlife, so we headed to the national wildlife refuges? headquarters and the two handicap-accessible refuges.  They were almost devoid of  critters.  Louisiana has been in a drought, and the wet areas in Bayou Sauvage have become mudflats.  The ranger said we wouldn?t see much out there, but we would possibly see some life at the Big Branch Marsh.  We saw several oyster fishermen, about a dozen gulls, and 2 great egrets.  Definitely not what I hoped for!

Staying at Jude Travel Camp ? 50 amps, FHU, WiFi, cable, no atmosphere, total $35.

 

[Wendy]

Glad you enjoyed Jean Laffitt NHPP. I went on one of the walking tours years ago. Aren't NPS rangers wonderful (just a little prejudiced here ). Interesting how this trip has wandered from your original plans....it's nice that RVing plans are set in jello, isn't it?

BTW, Linda, Hovenweep National Monument, also part of the NPS system, is made up of 7 separate sections in 2 states. Come visit us next year and we'll give you a great tour.

Wendy

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

November 3, 2011 Day 44 New Orleans

Today was ?Dean?s Choice?, a visit to the Stennis Space Center, America?s largest rocket engine test complex.    The SSC has tested every main engine that powered more than 130 space shuttle missions, and there has never been an engine problem on any of the missions. 

For me, the most exciting part of the day was learning that NASA announced a month ago that we are going back to the moon.  The SSC will do the testing for those engines, also. 

When we first went into the visitor center, we were issued tickets for a bus that transported us 6 miles away to the actual complex.  After passing two guarded gates, we came to the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Center, which employs the largest number of oceanographers in the world and houses one of the fastest supercomputers in the world.  There are more than 30 other resident agencies, including the Department of Defense, the National Data Buoy Center, the EPA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce, and two university postgraduate programs in oceanographic mapping studies.  They also have NOAA,  which is the National Oceanographic Something Something, and I learned that we drop buoys in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Bering Sea.

We were dropped off at a space museum where we saw an actual Apollo module, a mock-up of a segment of the ISS habitation and laboratory module of the International  Space Station, and a historic pictorial timeline of the evolution of space flight.  We saw a 3-billion-year-old piece of moon rock, which looked just like my meteorites.  I would have enjoyed seeing what the chemical composition of it was.

On our return trip, our driver told us that we were driving through a 125,000-acre, forested acoustic buffer zone.  The first time they tested the 5-engine second stage of the Saturn 5 rocket they rattled windows all the way in Mobile, Alabama. The sound waves deflected off the heavy cloud cover that day, magnifying the sound. They now have weather minimums requirements before a test of that magnitude can be performed.

Staying at Jude Travel Camp ? 50 amps, FHU, WiFi, cable, no atmosphere, total $35.

 

[ArdraF]

Linda,

Still enjoying your travels!  The description of New Orleans history was very interesting.  Thank yous continuing!

ArdraF

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

November 2, 2011 Day 43 New Orleans

Today I wanted to go to the New Orleans Museum of Art, and, though it wasn?t Dean?s favorite thing to do, he acquiesced.  While he wouldn?t give it an overall ?Good? rating, he did say that he saw several exhibits that he enjoyed?and that?s a high rating.

The AAA-gem-rated museum has 46 galleries.  The whole 3rd floor is Asian, African, and Native American art with pieces from the time of Christ to present.  There is a wide variety, including pottery, jewelry, maska, all of high quality.  On the 2nd floor were primarily paintings by the European masters, such as several Degas, one Picasso, and some Muros and Monets.  There were about a dozen paintings that I thought were spectacular.  I didn?t enjoy the Modern Art at all?tattooed faces, a plain green background with 5 circles that I could have painted?I just had no appreciation.  We enjoyed many of the works in the adjoining sculpture garden, especially ?Diana, the Huntress? (Picture 1).  We stayed until closing.  We came on a Wednesday, when it was free, but I meant to make a donation after we saw it.  It wasn't until now that I remembered.

As we left, I heard wild birds at the lake in the park, and my heart sang.  White ibis are very common birds, but I was so happy to see them perched in a tree?little white clouds of feathers.  We saw one great blue heron in a tree (Picture 2), and lots of different waterfowl (Picture 3).

The barbecue at The Joint had been recommended, so we stopped.  It is truly a joint, and most of its business is take-out, so we brought some back to the coach.  At $11 per person, the plates had lots of meat.  The pulled pork was excellent?very moist and flavorful, but none of the smoked flavor that I was hoping for.  Cole slaw was good, but the dressing wasn?t, so we wouldn?t order it again unless we could order it dry.  The beans were excellent.

Staying at Jude Travel Camp ? 50 amps, FHU, WiFi, cable, no atmosphere, total $35.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

Linda,

Still enjoying your travels!  The description of New Orleans history was very interesting.  Thank yous continuing!

ArdraF

Thanks.  I would have typed it for my personal log, but I posted it because I thought you might find it as interesting as I did.  This is our 3rd trip to NO, and I enjoyed it this time much more than the other 2.  I have some more things on my "Next Time" list.

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

Glad you enjoyed Jean Laffitt NHPP. I went on one of the walking tours years ago. Aren't NPS rangers wonderful (just a little prejudiced here ). Interesting how this trip has wandered from your original plans....it's nice that RVing plans are set in jello, isn't it?

BTW, Linda, Hovenweep National Monument, also part of the NPS system, is made up of 7 separate sections in 2 states. Come visit us next year and we'll give you a great tour.

Wendy

I don't think we've ever had a dull NPS ranger--they are truly great!  And, those of us who work hard to be interesting deserve recognition--that's not prejudice, it's well-earned pride.

This trip has deviated far more than any other, and there are upsides and downsides.  The thing I love most about retirement is FREEDOM--to do what I want to do when I want to do it.  The downside is not having the research done for an overall plan and constantly scurrying to figure out where we are going to be and when so we have a place to land at night and receive mail.  That's interesting about Novenweep.  We'll take you up on it, but probably not for a couple of years.  We are hoping to see you at Anza Borrego after the first of the year, and we will be going to Alaska in May.  I am toying with the idea of doing South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, after Alaska while we are still up north, coming down with the leaves if they are good.  I will check their weather often when we're in Alaska and make the final decision then.  When is the best month for Hovenweep?

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

November 4, 2011 Day 45 New Orleans

Today was my pick, and it was the most exciting day of the trip!  We went to the Audubon Zoo, a mid-size zoo with a lot of animals I?ve never seen before.

We were greeted by this elegant black and white swan (Picture 1) and an unusual duck (Picture 2).  Neither had I seen before in all our trip to zoos, and it set the stage for what was to come.

Keepers were holding a tiny Eastern screech owl (Picture 3) and this barred owl  (Picture 4).  It was the first time I?ve been able to see owls up close.

The babisura (Picture 5) from Indonesia whose name means ?pig deer? had the weirdest curbing tusks growing from his snout.  Another first for us.

We had seen white Bengal tigers before, but the zoo?s signage was so informative that even when we met old friends, we learned things we didn?t know.  The white Bengal tiger Picture 6) lacks a gene for the typical orange coat.  Both parents must carry the recessive gene.  They are not albinos; they are leucistic.  They have blue eyes, not pink, and have color in their stripes.

The Asian elephant (2 humps on the forehead and small ears) enjoyed being brushed off (Picture 7)?kind of like a massage, as well as a cleaning.  And I GOT TO PET HER.  SHE had wiry hair on her side, and her skin was dry and hard.  What a thrill!        CONTINUED                                         

 

[Dean & Linda Stock]

I had huge expectations for the aviary, and I was disappointed at both the lack of identification and the lack of variety of birds.  Their sign said there were 34 different types, but we didn?t see more than a dozen.  One sat and posed (Picture 8) while we were trying to get a shot of a beautiful fluorescent blue bird who flitted by.  The scarlet ibis was brilliantly colored, and his friend joined him for a photo op (Picture 9).  This unknown was unique (Picture 10).  However, we saw many interesting birds later in the open.

The golden lion tamarin (Picture 11) is a favorite.  He is monogamous.  The father and older siblings rear the young, carrying him on their backs, and returning him to mom only for feedings.  They live on the coast of Brazil, are critically endangered, and are so cute!

The drill baboon males (Picture 12) have a beautiful large shiny rainbow bottom to attract females.  It gets even brighter when he?s excited.  He?s very endangered.

The Sumatran orangutan mom (Picture 13) was trying to eat a lef and had amazing patience, as he baby jumped on her, tried to take the leaf away, and swung all around her.

The African white pelicans shared space with the rhinos. (Picture 14)