Calgary Zoo....and the the cold!!

Dear Lynette,

Just wanted to say its -21 outside.....-29 with the windchill. Its fair to say that it is really freaking cold outside right now!!!

James and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary last weekend. Its gone by so fast. We decided to spend the day traversing the Calgary Zoo. It was fantastic. They have it seperated into a variety of habitats including one very kitch Prehistoric park complete with fake dinosaurs and rock strata!! We loved it! The prehistoric wasteland below has the typical Calgarian skyline with the Calgary Tower in it, very reminiscent of Sydney and Canberra's towers really!




The zoo itself is phenomenally huge and actually crosses over the Bowness River which runs the length of the city. The river has started to freeze over on the edges, and you can stand on the bridge and watch chunks of ice flowing past. It is truly breath taking!

I think the two places we enjoyed most were without a doubt the Hippos and the Elephant Crossing where we were introduced to the Zoo's newest edition 3 month old baby elephant Malti. She was an absolute delight to watch, and was very cheeky. She grabbed hold of a cardboard box they had given her and thinking she wasn't supposed to have it ran off when the trainers came anywhere near her with a big grin on her face. (It was so unbelievably cute! and for those who know our puppy Riley they could be related with their cheeky behavior!)


We also go to see Hippo's! OMG they were amazing to watch in the water so graceful and agile, the contrast when they hopped out for a wander around their enclosure was amazing. They were so huge and awkward! James was brave enough to pose for a piccy next to one of the hippos, you have to be careful as they like to mark their territory and apparently get visitors as well!
We also got to see Piranha, wolves, reindeer, porcipines, monkeys and the saddest of all a pygmy crocodile. Why is it sad you may ask....well think about it you come into the world look around and go "Hell yeah I'm a crocodile...awesome!" and the come to find that you got jipped in the genetic lottery when you realise you won't get any bigger than about a metre!

They even had an Australian exhibit where I engaged in an argument with an eight year old who kept trying to tell me that the Wallabies (clearly marked on the exhibit not that I needed it to know what they were...I am Australian for crying out loud!) were Kangaroos! He wouldn't believe me that they were Wallabies even after I explained that Wallabies were a heck of a lot smaller and had different facial characteristics and fur.......he then asked how I knew what they could be and when I told him I was Australian and new what a Kangaroo looked like he looked me dead in the eye and said "Well they are Kangaroos!!"....the little snot!!



Now no post would be the same without an update on our beautiful and much missed puppy Riley. He is having a ball with his Grandparents at home in Oz! He loves nothing more than to go for a paddle in his own little swimming pool (entirely necessary given its hitting 40 degrees regularly right now). He then curls up with his favorite toy a long sausage dog (used to be a draught stopper) on the back verandah! These are the latest piccy's form Mum and Dad who love him to bits (even though he's been very naughty of late digging holes in the back yard!). Maybe the Santa outfit will put him back on the "nice list" fro Christmas!! What do you think?
I love our puppy!!! (Thank you heaps Mum and Dad for looking after him for us!!).

Anyhows I am off to have dinner and knit some more of my cardy!

Love Chantelle

P.S Thank you for the Tim tams and Vegemite Mum and Dad, and James and Yas (I have been spoilt rotten with Aussie supplies and I love you all for it!!)