Friday, March 20, 2009

Post Number 15: Trip to Temaikan Bioparque

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March 19

What a fabulous day! Not quite knowing what to expect, five of us meet at 10:00 a.m.,








catch the 1st of two buses and, 2 hours later, arrive at Temaiken, which is north of Buenos Aires. It’s a zoo, an aquarium, a nature preserve, a park, and an educational facility – and it’s amazing. We spend the next 5 hours exploring and having a great time.


Highlights include the merkats…









Video:




a giant hippopotamus…







Video:




animals cooling themselves under shade trees...









and those too oblivious to know any better.





We laugh, we eat, we enjoy glorious weather.





We marvel at how beautiful the grounds are…












and, best of all, we have the entire place to ourselves. Summer’s over, it’s mid-week so the kids are in school, and there can’t be more than 2 dozen other people in the park.


We sit and watch the sharks and sting rays in the oceanic tank while listening to Ave Maria, Mozart’s Flute Concert and more.





We walk into something like a giant aviary. It contains 40 or 50 bats. We are no more than a foot away from those closest to us. We’re separated by nothing more than a wire screen.





Some are flying. Others are hanging upside down. The larger vampire bats have a wing span of between 2 to 3 feet.








They’re feeding on fruit and veggie brochettes...





and after a hearty meal.....it's nap time.






Video:





It’s all pretty amazing and beautifully done. Like I said before…a fabulous day!





Only three weeks more to go in BsAs before we start another adventure in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I (David) am not ready to leave Argentina, but at least we will delay going back to the Cape for another month. Stay tuned.

2 comments:

  1. Hi - The merkats look wise. Are they smart? Looks like you were swimming with the rhinos. Glad you weren't swimming with the sharks. I just saw a thing on TV this AM. One can actually do that for vacation. Apparently, it's quite dangerous and expensive. Don't try it. And, I've developed a new affinity for bats, since all the ones in the Northeastern US are dying from that unknown disease and changing the ecology, for the worse, of course.
    Your lovely day improves mine, of course. Love, annette

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  2. I love the pictures , what a great adventure. All is well in Falmouth. Plants are starting to poke through the ground. We have had some fantastic sunsets, none like them since I've been here. Enjoy the rest of your time in BA and then SF. Looking forward to your return. Love, Lori

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