Hanging Out With The Animals in San Diego

Safari Park

San Diego has kept us very busy. We arrived on Sunday the 26th and have been doing something just about every day. Okay, maybe not EVERY day...but for someone who requires two days of recuperation for every day of activity, it seems like it's been every day.

Early in the week we bought ourselves a two day pass to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and drove up to the Safari Park in Escondido on Wednesday and the Zoo in San Diego on Friday. Lots and lots of walking followed by a dip in the Jacuzzi when we got home.

"Playing" with tiger cubs

The Safari Park, we learned, was established many years ago as a breeding facility for the Zoo. They have also successfully reintroduced animals that are severely endangered, such as the White Rhino and the California Condor, back into their natural habitats (Africa and California) where they are beginning to thrive and multiply again. They also work with many of the animals as "babes" to get them used to human interaction so that they are easier to manage as zoo adults.

Our lunch view

The Safari Park is very much like a zoo, except many of the habitats are larger. The grazing animals are in a wide open area, and in order to see them up close, it's necessary to take a bus tour, which we did. The restaurant where we ate lunch was backed up to this range and we almost felt like we were in another land. The food was good too -- and surprisingly affordable. Prices at both zoos were on par to eating in any regular restaurant of a similar type (sit-down, deli, etc.)

Koalas sleep about 22 hours a day!

My favorite, though, was the Zoo. What a wonderful place! I was impressed the first time I saw it back in 1972 and I am still impressed. It really takes more than a day to see it properly. We missed a few sections for lack of time, but we got there early and were able to see most of it before we conked out and headed home.

The San Diego area is Mark's old "stomping grounds." On Saturday, we drove to Santee to visit some long time friends and old neighbors of his- Miss Nancy and Miss Betty. Betty was away until about three o'clock, but we took Nancy to breakfast and visited together most of the afternoon. Miss Betty is now Mrs. Betty, and when she returned home, we stopped by to see her and her husband and spent another hour. It was a long day, but we had a lovely time getting acquainted and reacquainted.

Sunday, we visited Faith Chapel, the church Mark attended when he lived here years ago. Like every place, change happens. People leave. New people come. Nothing ever stays the same, nor should it. Despite the fact neither of us knew anyone, we were greeted warmly by several "brothers & sisters" and were very much blessed by the service.

Casi Cielo Winery

On the way home we stopped at a winery and met some lovely people who invited us to sit with them. We lingered until nearly four, and (of course) left with a bottle of wine and a couple jars of jam. I'm developing quite a collection of jellies and jams. I don't know why so many wineries sell jam, but they do...and you haven't tasted good jam until you've tasted wine jam. I promise to serve you crackers and jam if you ever stop by to visit.

We're loving it here at Pio Pico. It's definitely one of the places we'll return to, possibly every year. There's so much to do and see in San Diego, and most of it will have to wait until our next trip. We have four days left, and we hope to at least make it to Balboa Park. Maybe tomorrow.

Here are some more pictures of our zoo encounter...

East African Crowned Crane

Local mule deer sneak in and take advantage of the
Safari Park "safe zone"

These long necked antelope can reach food
too high up for the smaller varieties

Anteaters

Meercat

"Watch your head, I'm comin' through."

All the usual suspects