Iconic New York: The Bronx Zoo

 

Welcome to the Bronx Zoo

As rainy as today was -- and it poured -- Sunday was a beautiful autumn day and the perfect day for a visit to the Bronx Zoo. The Bronx Zoo, aka Wildlife Conservation Society, is definitely iconic New York. The 265 acres of the Zoo are magnificent. If anyone is thinking of the old model of a zoo, with animals in cages, think again. It's a beautiful park setting, with the Bronx River running through it. 

Finally got my views of autumn leaves

More autumn leaves and this extraordinary vintage gate caught my attention

Visiting the zoo -- only a half hour away from where I live -- has been on my to-visit list for ages, but it just never got to the top of my list. I've been there years before, including when I was growing up. It took a desire to go to the Dinosaur Safari and when a friend expressed interest, I took the zoo to the top of my list. The Dinosaur Safari consisted of at least twenty dinosaur models, most of which moved and roared. It wasn't a theme park -- there was a lot of educational material -- but it was a very fun experience. 

This looks like a forest out in the wild, but if you look at the background carefully,

 you can see apartment buildings.  

I didn't get the name of this dinosaur, but it was a new one to me. There were the familiar species, T.Rex and the Triceratops, but also the Troodon and the Kosmoceratops. I learned it's never too late to meet new dinosaurs. 

This was a first visit to the zoo in a long time, but it won't be the last. I have a ticket for the Holiday Lights program, which features literally millions of lights. It's also something I've wanted to do, but just didn't. Next month I'm going to be there and you know there will be pictures to share. 

Do you have things you've wanted to do for a long time, but just haven't done? I'm not so much thinking of things that are much too expensive or exceed your physical ability, but rather the things we just keep putting off because it takes just a little more planning or energy than the usual activities.

I've been taking photographs of Halloween decorations around town and will be back tomorrow to share them. I'd hoped to capture some of the nearby streets today, but the rain put me off. Fortunately, I snapped a few yesterday and they're fun. 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Wishing you lots of treats and no tricks!