Summer Days in St.Louis

It is not our usual plan to stay in St.Louis during the hot days of summer.  However, a variety of circumstances has made it necessary for us to remain here, and that is fine with me because it allows us more visits with our daughter and grandson.  They spent the past week with us and we kept busy outside despite the very warm weather.   Last Tuesday we visited the St.Louis Zoo where our first stop was the Children's Zoo.  In the playground of this area I was pleased to see the concrete hippo which use to be located elsewhere in the zoo.  Through the years our children loved to climb up into the belly of the sculpture and then come out of its mouth.  Melissa could not get into it as she once was able to, but at least she could sit in it with her son Nathan.

Kali (pronounced "Cully"), a 21/2 year-old polar bear has been the star attraction at the St.Louis zoo this summer.  We made it our goal to arrive at the zoo early to see him at Polar Bear Point, a 16 million dollar pool and play area for the cub.  The male cub about 3-months old, was transported from Alaska two years ago when an Inupiaq hunter accidentally shot his mother.  He came to the zoo at the beginning of this month.  We waited in line for about a half hour before we were able to see him cavorting around in his pool and beach area.  The 850 pound bear looked just like an active pup as he ran from one play area to another.

It was quite warm, with the temperatures hitting near 90 degrees, the day we were at the zoo.  The next day we went to Grant's farm and the weather was even more uncomfortable!  Just knowing that at noon we would be given a free beer courtesy of the Busch family did keep us going, however.  We did make it a point to visit the Budweiser Clydesales horse in their stables, and took a tram ride through the deer park.  Also saw an Animal Encounters show and a variety of animal exhibits.  It was interesting to see one tortoise peek inside the shell of another, as if to say "Can't you come out and play?" 

 Nathan was able to feed the goats, although he did not appreciate their greediness and decided to run from them.  One goat tried to get his bottle back from Nathan, but Nathan refused to let him have it.

It was really good to be back at Grant's Farm, we certainly made many trips there over the years with our children.  And a bratwurst with a cold beer in the Bauernhof area always tops off the day!