Waccatee Zoo!

We went to the most awesome zoo today. It was a family owned zoo here in Myrtle Beach called the Waccatee Zoo. It was very reasonable too...4 for kids, 8 for adults. Samantha went to the beach with her friends. Honestly, I have been to the Central Park Zoo, NC Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Milwaukee Zoo and the Bronx Zoo but really enjoyed this much better. There was a lot of walking. We probably walked over 2 miles with no strollers, wagons or carts. But there were plenty of trees and it was an overcast day. It even rained at one point and was very refreshing. They had such a variety of animals. There were lions and tigers, monkeys, lemurs, bears, snakes, you name it. There were also several peacocks that just walked wild. Jared was terrified of them and would freak out everytime one of the peacocks opened its fan. I loved this trip because we honestly could see so much joy in the kids. They would tell us these incredible stories from their lives in Africa. Grace told us about the animals her grandmother had. She loves goats. She then told us this story of how the lions (or tigers) would all sleep in trees in Ethiopia. Then she said they would eat small animals and many people would be attacked. She told us her grandmother would say "walk slow. walk very slow, slower, don't look at the lion" and that is how she would get by the tree. She also said they would get their milk from the cows. Her grandmother made cheese that they would share with their family friends. They also had chickens that would lay eggs.

So we had all of these great conversations but at one point they started to complain at how much they had to walk and how hot it was. Honestly, I am the most sensitive and high maintenance person when it comes to walking in the heat. It really wasn't that bad this morning. So, I couldn't help but think about how quickly the kids become Americanized. I was thinking that they probably had to do a lot of walking in Ethiopia and I am sure they didn't have air conditioning. So, when they complained I asked them if they had to walk a lot in Ethiopia. Grace said they would walk for miles to collect water. She also said they would walk to go to their grandparents. So I said, "Did they have benches and places to rest on the way like they do here at the zoo?" Grace said "no" and giggled. I then said "Did they have soda machines and drinking fountains?" Grace laughed again and said "no". THey didn't complain again. One of the highlights of the trip to the zoo were meeting these hysterically funny African Ostriches that seemed to have smiles on their faces. Grace, Ella and I couldn't help but laugh because these animals would follow us and really looked like they were smiling at us..it was really fun.

Later we went to lunch and once again Matea and Jared kicked off their flip flops and just decided it was okay to walk around the restaurant with no shoes on. This is not the first time this has happened. I don't mind when it happens in an appropriate place. When Ella found a running track for the first time she kicked her shoes off and ran around it 5 times barefoot laughing the whole time. Matea even does this thing now where she will walk up steps or just be walking and step out of her flip flops leaving them behind. She then doesn't even turn around to pick them up. She keeps walking as if she never even noticed that she doesn't have shoes on. I have decided that flip flops are great for the beach but when we get back from vacation they will not be the shoe of choice for our family. AND note to parents (pick shoes that are harder to take off when in restaurants or places requiring shoes because your kids will kick them off).