Baltimore Zoo - Maryland Nature and a Monsoon

The second loop of the zoo is Maryland nature.  It has a bog area, a wetlands exhibit, a cave with bats and spiders and snakes, turtles, a giant tree with a huge slide for the kids, and a farmlands area with a small petting zoo. 

It was a great way to end the trip and Owen, though content to bum a ride in the stroller for most of it, love the interactive sections - the bouncing walkways, the ducks, the chickens 

(he can make chicken noises now...after I made a fool of myself for approximately 7 minutes performing my best chicken impersonation).  

Here is one of the turtle exhibits.  I think Gina looks like an astronaut of the underground.  Anyway...I think the point is to get you up close and personal, eye level, with the turtles.  Not quite the thrill ride that I think they were going for.  Maybe if they moved the lions into this area...

What WAS thrilling is that Gina magically turned INTO a turtle.  Doesn't she look happy?  Alas...it was only temporary.

Just in case she switches again in the future - Owen got in some turtle wrangling practice.  It's similar to breaking a wild horse I hear.  Or bull riding.  He was a natural and even gave the beasty a kiss or two.

And finally - no, actually, this is a shot from the zoo here at home.  The alligators are ALWAYS escaping their enclosure.  I find this guy everywhere. 

It was a great trip - definitely worth repeating a few times a year.  The only snag was the gigantic thunderstorm (I'm talking lightening and monsoon rains for 1.5 hours straight) that left us all stranded in the women's bathroom.  So close to the gift shop but so far away.  

On the plus side it was entertaining to watch the teenage zoo employees scamper around 'trying' to stay dry in between tram drop offs.  And the hand dryer in the bathroom worked great on the stroller.  - See, there is always a bright side.