Budapest day 4 - Állatkert (Budapest Zoo)

Roxie was a excited about going to the zoo as to the Amusement Park. So off we went. It was another hot day. Ice creams and cold drinks day! Got to the zoo and I was amazed to see people feeding the animals. (with special pellets but still...) I found it fascinating but unpleasant at the same time to see a hippopotamus come up really, really close to people and open it's mouth WIDE to receive the food pellets. It reminded me a bit of old fashioned animal tricks in the circus. It was teh same with the giraffes. Amazing to see their black tongues so close up and have them licking a child's hand for pellets (not Roxie's by the way!) but also very sad. Such a wild animal - tame. For food. 

Anyway except for the uneasy feeling I had for this side of things the zoo was a fun place to visit Roxie loved it of course. The highlight for Roxie was the Guinea Pig city. Seemed like hundreds of guinea pigs in a very large area with a village of clay (?) model houses, cars, buildings and even a windmill for them to play in. Very eccentric! 

Roxie and April both had their faces painted Rox chose a Zebra and April a Tiger. It was a hot day and the zoo had set up these gates to walk through that sprayed water in very fine streams so that peoplecould cool down. IT was most refreshing and the girls loved getting cool and wet and mucky! There was also a very cool playground in the zoo and we stayed there till closing time. Ropes to climb, an amazing whale scultpture that squirted water for it's 'spout' at unexpected intervals...a fantastic boat style seing that al 3 of us could lie in, a flying fox and an enormous adventure climbing wooden plyaframe in the design of a pirate ship with lots of ropes, ladders and underground tubes...very funky! Finally at closing time we left for the metro homewards. It was another big and satisfying day.