We have come to refer to the zoo here in Mozambique as "the safest zoo in the world". Bahahahahaha! It is the most unsafe place I have EVER been to. I firmly believe that going on safari and even walking in the bush with wild animals (which I did when my mom came to visit) is MUCH safer than this crazy zoo. That being said, last week we took some of my favorite kiddos for a visit to "the safest zoo in the world".
Sam, one of the other missionaries and a good friend of mine, started sibling bonding times every Wednesday afternoon. This time we took 2 families, Shelton and Hilda and Antonino and Olga. They are both adorable pairs! Below are Valentino (a fantastic older youth who lives on the center and one of Antonio's best friends), Antonio, Shelton, Hilda, and Olga!
Our first stop upon arrival at the zoo was the hipo. He has a walled in area but the wall is so short that he can put his head over it. Literally you can pet him...I am not exaggerating in the slightest. If you were brave enough you could stick your head into his mouth while he holds it open for you to see his TERRIBLE teeth. It is out of control! I found it all hilarious while the kids stood back sure the hipo was going to attack them. Even Valentino looked a bit nervous.
After the hipo came a visit to the fattest crocodile I've ever seen. It is disgusting and yet again you can pet it. The "safest zoo in the world"...yeah right!
After the crocodile we took a look at the one snake. It is pretty big and the kids were petrified of it. Next came the monkeys and baboons. The baboons will do tricks for treats. If you throw them peanuts they will do back flips. It's quite funny to watch everyone telling them to do back flips...of course they only do them if they want to but its fun to try! So we watched them for awhile. Then we decided to blaze our on trails and go see the baboons that were over in a cage on their own. I'm not so convinced this was a great plan. I found some cookies in my purse and we started breaking them up and feeding the baboon who was nicely doing back flips for us. All was fine until I decided to walk away and this guy...
...stuck his arm out of the fence, grabbed my purse, and tried to pull me in! Seriously my purse now has teeth marks on it and I have a bruise on my arm! "Safest zoo in the world"...RIGHT?!
After that little traumatizing adventure we walked back to see the hipo again. This time the kids actually got closer and looked in to watch him eat!
I told you that wall was REALLY short and that hipo gets VERY close! No wonder they were nervous!
Altogether the afternoon was great! Everyone had fun, I almost gotten eaten by a baboon, but we all left with smiles on our faces!
Oh...and I wouldn't want to forget to mention that "the safest zoo in the world" also boasts "the safest slide in the world"...if you think children climbing up 85 steps and sliding down again with a rickety railing that only comes halfway down is safe that is!?
Some days I can't help but love Mozambique!
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