Chilling out at the Beijing Zoo and Aquarium

I had this Grand Plan,hair brained scheme, that we would travel up to Beijing once per week during a week day- just to get out of Tianjin for a few hours and see something new and different.  

Thus we are finding ourselves wading through impenetrable, jam-packed traffic heading towards the ….

Beijing Zoo and Aquarium!!!

Do you want to join us on our little expedition?  They say there are pandas at the zoo!  Surely you want to see those!!!!

Ah…..Let's head to the Panda Exhibit first.

Ah….guess Master ShiFu is taking a little break from all the Kung Fu. Everyone knows Kung Fu is quite tiring!

Let's go see the pandas!

I spy something Black and White!!!!

Ah…here's another Panda exhibit:

Pandas like to rock in chairs…didn't you know?

WAIT!!!! Come back!!!!! Don't go!!!!!

Here is Mr. (or Mrs.?) Panda to answer your question whether pandas really eat bamboo:

Why yes; yes they do eat bamboo!!!!

Okay…the Panda Exhibit was fun but let's go check out the other critters they have in the zoo….

Like:

CHICKENS!!!!! Didn't you know they are a rare wild beast that MUST be caged???

Did she seriously take a photo of that chicken???  I mean, it is a cool looking chicken BUT it still is a CHICKEN!!!!  And, yes, they had more chickens in the "pheasant garden" (did we even see a pheasant???? Maybe??)

Okay…how about posing with complete strangers now?  UGH!!!!  This photo taking of the girls business is getting OLD.  I mean really old. 

I wonder if I should start charging people to have their photos taken with them?????

Where are we??? I'm kind of lost!  I haven't been paying attention to the map.

Ah…here is something that can help us:

We want to head over to the Beijing Aquarium. Can you figure out which way we need to go?

YAY!!!!  We found it!  We found the Beijing Aquarium!!!

Kind of reminds us of the Blue Zoo.

And here is a reminder that indeed, we still are in China or Asia (lest you forgot):

freaky light display in the jellyfish section

 I love the name of these jellyfish:

and yes, they did in fact remind me of egg yolks!!!

This is cool…

a tunnel escalator surrounded by fish!

We're getting hungry.  What about you?  Let's find a cafeteria, okay?  (If you brought a picnic lunch you can eat that with us in the cafeteria!)

You hungry for "Hong Kong Pill Face"? HUH????????

This is what the main hall looks like in the aquarium:

with at least one whacky child. Who happens to be mine. 😉

And more photos with complete strangers.  Somehow when it isn't as bad when the photos are taken with children.  It's kind of oocky when it's adults that want to be photographed with the girls.

This lady had the nerve to rearrange my girls to suit her photograph. Hmmmm….. (can you tell this photographing thing is getting old with us????)

Don't all the kids look so happy to be posing for yet another photo? LOL! Even the little Chinese girl is getting tired of it!!!

Read this sign… it states "No Feeding" right???? 

I spy something black and white…and it's not a panda.  

What could it be??????

 I just love zebras.  Don't you? They are living works of graphic art.

Do you see what the other visitors are doing????

Huh….I seem to recall the sign saying NOT to feed the animals?!!!? Perhaps it's says DO FEED the animals in Chinese????? Either that or the Chinese can't read. Either way, the zebras get a free lunch of carrots. Which, I'm sure, grow wild on the African Savannah!?!!?  

And more posing with random strangers:

The little girl is pretty darn cute. Her mom (I'm guessing) was trying to get all the girls to look at their camera.

Time for a play break!

Let's pay a few RMB and head into the playground area, okay?

 Let's walk around and check out the area surrounding the play area:

Why are there domesticated dogs in cages????? Are they seriously part of the zoo????????

And…apparently you can rent a dog and take it for a walk!!!! Homesick for your pet dog you left behind??? Why, rent a dog at the Beijing Zoo! LOL!!!!!!

And yes, there is something for you Cat Lovers:

The Cat House! Oh, but it doesn't look like you can rent these- sigh. Poor girls! They would have loved to cuddle with a kitty or two!!!!

Awwwwwwww….

Why don't we go feed the birds in the bird cage over there?  It's just a few RMB for some bird seed.

Peacocks.  Such lovely colors!!!

Check out this lovely lake with tons of lotuses growing in it:

Can you spot something under a lotus leaf?

And…for something completely different….more photos with complete strangers!

m'kay. Are we really an exhibit too????

 ah…..Doesn't cotton candy sound like a lovely treat?  Don't you just love the name?  Although, I think cloud candy would be a sweeter name for it.

And there's nothing like a giant wad of cotton candy that's as big as your head!

Where is Ava???? OH!!! She's hiding behind her cotton candy fluff!

Okay…ONE.LAST.PHOTO.WITH.STRANGERS.

The Chinese children are so cute!!!

Ah…will you look at the time?  It's time for our driver to come pick us up and take us back home.  Thank goodness!!!  We've had a fun time but I think it's time to go home!!!!