Last weekend, we went to the Seoul Zoo. We were pretty unhappy with the gulag-like Daegu Zoo, and we haven't visited an Asian zoo since. I did my research, and the Seoul Zoo looked legit, so we have been meaning to go.
The weather has finally warmed up a bit, and we decided to take advantage of it. We were not disappointed. A KTX ride to Seoul Station and subway ride to the Seoul National Park took about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and we got to the zoo a little after noon. On the walk between the subway station and the park entrance, here were ajummas selling rice cakes, gimbap, and bugs. There were about six of them at intervals on the walk up, and they all sold the same things. This lack of product diversity is a Korea thing that I can't understand. I don't know why the first one on the walkway didn't get all the profit. Most street fairs I have been to are much like this. There are about four different types of booths, and they all sell identical products.--the toy booth the same toys, the snack booth the same snacks, etc. If you walk 100 yards into the fair, you have seen everything.
The zoo was a kilometer away from the subway stop, and for lazy people there were a tram and a sky lift to choose from. We took the tram in. We strove to see the entire zoo, and we were successful. People gathered around the elephant and lion habitats, but we had a more interesting time at the less visited side exhibits. Bobby made a few friends. He has an inexplicable way with animals, and he actually called some of them to him. A three toed night monkey came right up to the glass opposite Bobby and peered at him. Another monkey played games with him, moving his head around and stamping his feet. Going to the zoo is never boring when Bobby is around.
Like every zoo, the Seoul Zoo had some great exhibits and some depressing ones. There was a lemur habitat in which the lemurs ran between two cages on ladders that hung over public walkways. We speculated that the lemurs must poop on several people a day. There were majestic silver wolves anxiously pacing in too small cages. Overall, we had a good time, and dang it, we saw the whole thing. The trip ended, as they always do, with Bobby wishing he worked in a zoo. Someday...
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| Tiger statue at the entrance |
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| I love meercats |
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| Usually I can tell what the English signs are trying to say, but this time I have no idea |
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| One of Bobby's friends. Once Bobby pulled out the camera, he lost interest. |
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| A peacock gives us a show |
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| Sky lift out of the zoo |
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