Wild Animals

Martin set low expectations for the zoo so we were all pleasantly surprised by how lush the zoo was. True, some of the enclosures were decrepit, but some were well-kept, and the grounds were certainly beautiful. Kalia and I didn't even get to see the dirty lazy panda (that was when we saw the squat toilet instead--which by the way, Kalia thinks are great), but we did get to see the zoo's wildest creatures (see first photo). Yes, these little dogs were actually in their own enclosure and were being displayed as zoo-worthy animals. Sort of a stretch, I think. How random. We found that pretty funny, as well as other random things, like this sign on a rock in the middle of a pathway indicating that we were standing at an excellently managed scenic spot. (See second photo)

The next two photos were taken at breakfast. The breakfast buffets at Asian hotels are the best! In addition to the standard breakfast fare is dim sum, Japanese breakfast foods, and dessert. Plus they usually have random things like chicken nuggets and spaghetti.

I have to say that Makena eats like no baby I've ever seen before, although I've heard before that these babies are often great eaters. She's definitely feisty and impatient when it comes to eating. When she wants it, she wants it NOW, and boy will she let you (and the entire restaurant) know. I get a little flustered trying to get her bottle ready when she's hanging onto my legs yelling at the top of her lungs to hurry hurry hurry! It's funny to eat with the other families, who for some reason feed their 2 year old children as if they're infants. They're so careful about what to give them, and tend to only give them rice cereal, rice soup, tofu, and bread.

One couple swears their 2 year old daughter with a full set of teeth does not know how to chew so they even mash up white rice for her rather than let her eat it "whole." Meanwhile, Makena's chowing down on anything and everything at the table, from curry chicken to grilled lamb to zhajiang mian to dumplings. The one thing I forgot to bring with us is a good bib for eating. I wonder if they make one with a hood, since she likes putting things on her head (like the noodles from lunch today).

The photo above is of her asleep in the crib that would horrify any American child safety specialist. Not only is it very easy to climb out of, the bedding is a loose quilt laid on top of the hard wood frame. There's a little pillow and tons of toys. In fact, I've seen her sleeping in this position on a few different occasions, where she's almost sitting up and leaning on her teddy bear. It was one of the nice touches of this hotel--they left a cute teddy bear in each crib. Another nice touch was the note they left on our desk:
"Dear Client: Thanks for your attention! It is hard work accompanying with happiness to look after kids. If you need any help, please call our assistant manager. We are very pleasure to offer our help. Congratulations to a lovely angle joining your family!" Butchered English never ceases to amuse us. We're amused a lot here.

Finally, the last photo. Makena's first flight. Think she likes it? Given what we've seen of her personality, we predict she'll be an adrenaline junkie. I foresee some trips to the ER in the future. Groan.