Jupiter, Santa Claus, and Bathroom Doors...HUH??

I forgot I had taken a picture of the moon the other night after we put up some Christmas lights. The planet Jupiter was right beside it....see that little white spot. 

What made it so neat was there was hardly anything else in the sky but these 2. I find it fascinating that we can see other planets with our naked eye even if they are this tiny.  Makes the moon look huge!!

I only added this one because it was neat how the windmill was also in the picture. You have to ignore the little orange spot in front of windmill. Must have been reflection of some sorts.

Ok now back to the zoo in Indianapolis. I guess I had better start back at the beginning and add a picture from that.

Art, Tom, Lindsay and Meredith are standing under the sign...you must use your night googles to see them. :) This was with flash...just too far away I guess.

This zoo has grown into a top rate zoo, from since I was a little girl. I distinctly remember the little zoo we used to visit and there was this hippo in an exhibit that you could get fairly close to. Apparently one night some thugs broke into it and when the hippo opened his mouth like they do when being fed they dumped a whole bucket of baseballs in it's mouth. I don't remember what happened to him (probably blocked it from my memory) but isn't that just horrible!! I am sure there were many many times where zoos were broken into and animals were severely harmed and that is why the exhibits today are so far back with many security fences in place. Makes you wonder what runs in the veins of some people doesn't it??? Just last week there were 2 horses grazing out in a pasture in Anderson IN which is where we bought our new camper, and someone drove by and shot them. One of them died and the other one is at Purdue University's large animal hospital. They believe it is going to live. They did a benefit ride over the weekend to help raise money to pay the bill at Purdue. It will most likely run into the thousands. Wow! I do$n't know what got me off on that rant. Well now, let's get back to the zoo and happier times. We rode the train around the zoo, of course Meredith loved that. It was neat they had made the bridge we went under all covered in lights and then they went off like a strob when entering. I was trying to get pictures and watch Meredith so didn't get any pics.

Poor Art these seats were not conducive to a tall person...see his knees right up on the seat in front.

There were not many animals out they were sleeping. But these sea lions were not. They were arguing over who got the top rock. They pretended to be asleep and then WOW! out would come this huge bellow. The top seal won.... he never moved.

We went into the sea exhibit area and the penguins were quite the drawing card. They are so much fun to watch and just looking at them makes you smile. There were only 2 that were swimming the rest had gotten their spot on the rocks and weren't moving. I was trying to find a clear spot on the glass to take his picture. Sorry the quality is not that good.

 Now sea horses amaze me. They opened this exhibit of them of couple of years ago and there were many many more then than now. I wonder if they are hard to keep in captivity??

If you didn't know better you would think it is not real. Very few of them were moving. Although his tail is unwound so he might have been moving some. I know NOTHING about them, other than they are very unique and puzzling to watch.

They had Santa there in the gardens that are next door to the zoo. Oh my gosh it was soooo hot in there. Poor Santa I cannot imagine how hot he must have been. We were dressed to be outside and so having to stand indoors was not pleasant. She was very intrigue by him and was fine sitting on his lap. Our girls were not always sold on sitting on his lap. I have been told I was not at all when I was a little girl. I just love the top right picture she is like..."Really so you are the one that will bring me my toys, huh."

In the long picture Santa is holding onto a little tiger that I bought Meredith because she rode the Merry Go Round for the first time and she sat on a tiger. So wanted something to remember that by for her.

I was having the worst time getting a picture of Meredith on the Merry Go Round. This is the best one I was able to get. At least she will have a picture to remember it by.
 

This was so funny. Lindsay and I had to use the rest room before we left the zoo. Well we didn't actually leave the zoo when we entered. I don't remember this from when we were there last time. Pretty cool actually.

The bear was on the handicap door.

So Season Greetings from The Indianapolis Zoo

I hope you enjoyed your walk around the zoo with us. Only thing is I'll bet we were more tired than you. Whew...a big zoo to walk. I was beat.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      So from Thorntown Hugs and Best Wishes.