It's a Zoo Out There

On Sunday, we woke up to a glaringly bright day in spite of the night's storm.  We decided to stop at Falls Park on the way out of town since we had missed the planned opportunity the night before.  It was definitely worth the detour.

Sioux Falls is seriously all about the sculpture.  I like.

 "Oh...wow."  Even Mike was impressed.

 Falls!

The falls were so powerful in some parts that it created foam like there was dish soap coming down the rocks.  But it was natural!

 An old gent also visiting the falls said "I'm a free photographer in my spare time" and took our photo.  Cute.

 Panorama.  Go on.  Click and appreciate.  APPRECIATE!

We drove through Iowa to get to our next stop, which was an unexpected delight!  The short list of states I wasn't sure I'd ever visit is now one state less long.

I think I might've taken this photog shortly before we got pulled over...oops.  Fortunately the State Trooper was kind enough to lower the speed at which we were flying to 1-5 miles over the limit rather than the actual (10-15).  Needless to say the rest of our trip was at a bit slower pace...

We arrive at our next stop around lunch time, and fought for a parking spot as Mike admitted that this might be a more legit zoo than he originally gave it credit.

We ate a pretty terrible lunch at the cafe, but decades later I finally sat by the window at which we dined when I was a kid.  In my mind I picture it as this huge enclosure that domed around the monkey chamber and sloped downward forever.  Sometimes adult perspective is unwanted.  But I still loved seeing it again.

The dessert area and "night creatures" tunnels underneath were probably my favorite.  It is an incredibly well-planned zoo.

We both jumped sky high at this statue.

"Hey, next time we go camping, let's get bear mace."
"Done."

When we visited as kids, there were two polar bears.  One of the zoo visitors started throwing food into their enclosure (I do NOT condone nor recommend this), and the big white bears started showing of in the water, doing what I would consider tricks for more human food.  It was incredible, because you could watch them in the water through mile high glass, or watch them from above.  This poor guy was too hot to do much; I understood.

 Aviary.

 Our view of the rhino atop the SkyRide (worth it).

 Garden of the Senses.

 Wassaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.

Butterfly Pavilion, our second-to-last stop on the four hour adventure!

 Always.  This always happens to him.  He's like a winged creature magnet!

 Last stop: aquarium.  Cursed strollers.

We drove an hour to Lincoln from there, and stopped by what was once a summer stay: my great grandmother's house.  I thought for sure that I'd remember things in the neighborhood or on the way to her home.  But I didn't.  I do remember this, though.  And the basement that both thrilled and terrified my sister and I.  Stacks of National Geographics and cups full of drink stirrers with which we were fascinated.  And the tree we would climb for hours.

I wish they took better care of the yard.

Anything but!

We checked in at the Courtyard Marriott (best hotel of the trip), showered the road off, and headed to Haymarket for the evening.

 We ate dinner at the bar at Lazlo's...

And then walked across the street to Ivanna Cone!  What was touted to me by my boss (who went to Nebraska and whose daughter now goes there) as the best ice cream ever.

 I have to say...it lived up to the hype.

We ended the evening at Brix & Stone Gastropub, where we conversed with the bar tender and a couple of locals still working at the restaurant.  They were apparently having as great a time as we were and so didn't tell us that they closed an hour earlier and only charged us $12.  It was fantastic!

Our final evening could not have been more perfect.