Glady's Porter Zoo

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A day at the zoo watching the gorillas, hippos, monkeys, big cats and birds then dancing to music at Harley's. . ..

After our morning walk followed by breakfast at the outpost we prepared a flyer to put in stores advertizing the black van for sale. We are ready now to sell it. We came up with a list of everything included with he van and put a price to each item. It came to $4000 and includes the new brakes and transmission along with mattress, 12-volt cooler, inverter, etc.

After lunch we drove to Brownsville, about 40 minutes drive and went to the Gladys Porter Zoo. High lights were: Gorillas at play, Hippos in the water, Monkeys swinging from their tails, big cats sleeping, and Flamingos and Pelecans bathing in their ponds.

There are three gorilla babies, two a little older and o­ne still in diapers. The keeper was feeding the baby in an inclosure and passing food out to the two other babies and o­ne older female o­n the other side. It was a getting use to each other session. A little before closing we returned and all of the gorillas were in their cage rather than out in the yard. The babies were very playful doing summersaults, rough housing and throwing straw around. The older females would break up the group if they got too rough. The youngest went up to the big silverback and sat by him. It was cute. There are big plastic barrels they like to play with. o­ne guy was sitting o­n top of o­ne spinning it around. He fell off.We had brought a stuffed flower toy that we put against the glass. The youngsters were curious about it and came over several times to check it out. Then the older females came. The silverback just looked from a distance. Gorillas do not look directly at you, if they catch your !
glance they look away quickly. They entertain themselves very well. o­ne thing they do that is rather disgusting is to regurgitate their food several times and reeat it. That sends visitors away from the viewing areas! After a time all of the gorillas settle and find a spot where they curled up to rest.

Four Hippos were walking around in the water of their little compound. Two are youngsters; o­ne still nursing. It was fasinating to watch the male and female open the big mouths showing their full set of teeth, tusk, and large pink tongue. They did this for about ten minutes and finally the male moved away and walked out of the water. The female then turned her attention to the baby who wanted to nurse. The female went under the water and rolled over o­n her side so the young hippo could go under the water and nurse. They would tay under water for several minutes then stick their noses up and blow bubbles and get air and go back under. Meanwhile the male returned to the water o­nly to find the female preoccupied with feeding so he would again walk away. The other youngster stayed in the water o­n the other side of the pool just hanging out.

Monkeys can use their tails to hold o­n to things. We watched as they raced up poles, swung from ropes and ran around. o­ne had a baby that was hanging o­n for dear life as mom raced and ran and swung. o­ne little guy ran up a pole and claimed the top by sitting up there looking out over his domain.

Bright orange flamingos would lay sideways in their little pool of water and twist their long necks to rub and flap in the water. They would bend their tall legs and wiggle around in the water. All clean they would stand tall o­n their two long skinny legs and flap their wings. Their wings have white then black tips that stand out against their bright orange bodies. Othr birds would take their turns in the small pool while those that were all clean spent time primping an drying. Those finished with that curled their necks around their bodies and went to sleep standing o­n o­ne leg.

It was a good day at the zoo. We made a stop at Harleys o­n the way o­ne. Cars were parked up and down the narrow street and music filled the air. We parked and worked our way through the crowd. With a wave to Lori, our server, we continued to a table. The room was filled with young and old. The band played and people danced, sang and clapped along.

John danced with Kathy, two among a crowded floor. This is the o­ne year celebration of Harleys. We had been here last year sortly after it had opened and o­nly a few visitors sat o­n the open deck listening, singing and clapping. They have come to be a very popular place filled with good music and good people. Will and Kathy danced the last dances feeling the music and the night even as others drifted out and we were alone o­n the dance floor.

People had slowly drifted out. Musicians come and gone from the stage. Larry, a young man we had met last year that was always enthusiastic and played the tambarine, came over and we talkd a bit. This is the first we had seen him this season. He is working now o­n the Island. He got up and played a few tunes to the empty room. We enjoyed our private concert and he enjoyed sharing his music

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