Today I decided to take my daughter to the Lowery Park Zoo, here in Tampa. I heard good things about it and decided to give it a try. I have never been to the actual American zoo, even though I lived in US for 17 years.

Going to the zoo left a bad taste in my mouth when my parents took me there as a kid back in Russia. The only zoo that I got to experience was a traveling zoo. The exotic animals like tigers, lions, bears, monkeys, etc. were displayed in tiny cages that were set up in a circle outdoors. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I remember the miserable look of captivity in their eyes. Some would pace back and forth from one end of the cage to the other. Others seemed to agree with their fate, sitting in the corner in apathy. As I got a little older, I decided that zoo wasn’t my thing and I haven’t been since.

Well, enough memories. I really enjoyed this trip to the zoo. I love the fact that the animals are placed in a habitat that is similar to their original. They appear to have plenty of room and look comfortable. I decided to purchase a yearly pass versus paying for just one day’s admission. Couple of visits would cover the pass’ cost.

We looked at monkeys, tigers, fed the peerokeets, went to pet the docile goats and played in kiddie fountains. I think we didn’t even get around to some areas. There is only so much you can do with a toddler in one trip.

We had lunch at their Garden Cafe. It’s not too pricey, but I still ended up spending almost fifteen bucks on a combo meal for me and kid’s meal for Ely. Even though they don’t allow any food or drinks from the outside, one can leave for lunch with an option of re-entry. Next time I will probably try to pack our lunch and leave it in the car.

And here is our visit in puctures…