Proud Leopard

Proud Leopard
Originally uploaded by Niki_Manzanares.

Today Eric and I went on an African Safari (aka the zoo.) We left around 9:30 am and when we got there we discovered that every school in Portland was also going to the zoo that day! We heard in line that there was going to be 5,000 students. It was very crazy and loud! Every where you walked you heard kids sceaming, "I WANT TO SEE THE PENGUINS!" "I'M HUNGRY!" "I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!" Eric and I just held hands tightly and sqeezed past the mobs. We did get some some cool pics though. I took this one of this leopard that was pacing around his small area of "territory." The funny part was that a few minutes later some kids were crowded around him and it looked like he was about to sit down and I thought I whispered only to Eric, "I think he's going to poo!" Turns out one of the young ones heard my comment and said it.... but louder! Everyone started a laughing, but the leopard really did have to poo, so every ran away shortly after that in discust. But really, these animals are stuck in cages all day with humans just staring at them. Poking, laughing, and making a big fuss.

We like the zoo, but we also like the Rose Garden in Washington Park (which is where we went next.) As we were taking photographs I really wanted a picture of us, and not just one where Eric is holding the camera and extending his arm out to take a shot of us both trying to fit inside the frame. But it's sometimes difficult to decide what stranger should take your picture. Our camera has a lot of buttons and you have to hold the button down half way to auto focus... some people are afraid of this responsibility. So we chose a man who was carefully putting away his camera that obviously cost a pretty penny. He was delighted and the picture turned out really nice.