Day 3: The Omaha Zoo

Mon., 9/26—The main reason we’re in Omaha (besides the fact that it’s on the way to our “Out West” destinations) is to go to the zoo.  We had heard that the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo is big and wonderful, so, although we don’t go to zoos very often, we wanted to check it out.  Several of the exhibits are known as being the largest of their kind in the world: nocturnal exhibit, indoor swamp, geodesic desert dome, and indoor rainforest.  The exhibits are not only big, they’re beautiful and really well done.   The gorillas were very active.  In fact, at different times and in different rooms, a couple of them were kind of scary.  They’d actually stand up and beat their chests and bare their teeth.  They’d run up to a display window and bang on it with their huge hands.  You should have seen the size of the hand prints on that window!   One gorilla slammed his shoulder into a stainless steel door.  I don’t know if they were showing how tough they are, or if they’re just really angry about living there.  I liked the sea turtles—such cute faces.  I also enjoyed the rain forest, where we walked at treetop level, and then at ground level.   Joe: I saw the world’s biggest millipedes; they gave me shivers.  So did all the crocodiles, with their big, beady eyes.  It was a great zoo day. 

I love this turtle.

This blue bird followed me around!

This pic was taken from a sky ride.