MBIP, pal and commenter, Scott Turley told me his 60th birthday was coming up this week and that he always wanted to go to the zoo on his birthday, but nobody would ever go there with him. Well, here at MBIP, we make birthday dreams come true! I told Scott I’d meet him at the Peoria Zoo and we’d spend his birthday there and if he’s good and doesn’t set fire to any monkeys, I might just buy him a birthday treat! I hope they have beer!
I haven't been here for about thirty years and this is the entrance I remember, but they've redone the place and there's an arrow pointing to a new entrance, so we shall follow the arrow and see where it leads us.
Uh oh, looks like no beer for Scott on his birthday.
Wow, the new entrance to the zoo is pretty impressive!
And here's the birthday boy himself, Scott Turley! Okay, time to let this birthday adventure begin at the Peoria Zoo!
Enter Sandman...oh wait, I did that yesterday...never mind.
I wrote down this zoo greeter's name, but then I lost it, but she was very friendly, and a wonderful greeter.
Okay, the box office transaction is complete, time to start the tour of the Peoria Zoo!
I smell something else, but then again, we are at the zoo, so what do you expect?
And our journey begins!
I have to tell you, they've really turned this zoo into something since the last time I was here, it's about five times as big and it's a really sprawling wonderland outside. I won't be able to document the whole trip that Scott and I took, so here's some highlights of our adventure.
The first place we went to was closed, which caused a scary zoo flashback for me.
This shot is for all my mates down in the land of Oz including Clacky, Shannon, Claire, Mick and even Brooksy...you still out there, Brooksy? Cheers!
That smell I mentioned earlier? I'm not pointing fingers, but it may be coming from this fellow.
Check out the giraffe. Gimme some neck.
Huh, what's this?
Giraffe's have hands? And they know how to wash them? You can learn a lot at the zoo if you keep your eyeballs open and read the right signs!
Here's a couple of Red River Hogs. This guy is trying to mentally turn that blue ball into something more fun to play with. I admire the focus he's showing.
Here's a little tribute to MBIP Contributor, Jaws the Cabbie! The line, "Nuts exploding in their powerful jaws can be heard several yards away and sound like gunfire," sounds like a synopsis for a porn move.
Check this guy out...
It's the rare and elusive Travis Bickle Taxi Driver monkey. You talkin' to me?
Suddenly...hats!
The Animal Adventure Center, this sounds pretty exciting, let's go check it out.
Well, I'll tell you, when it comes to animal adventures, nothing says it any clearer than the words, "Chicken Coop."
Scott leads the way into the African continent here at the Peoria Zoo.
Wow, it's kind of lonely here in Africa, everybody must be in that building over there.
Here's Scott entering the African building.
Someone alert the media...Africa's become overrun with Pepsi-drinking white people!
The Peoria Zoo has a monument to honor MBIP pal, Bill Molleck, who knew?
There's no beer here at the zoo, but there is a gift shop, so we went in to get Scott a birthday gift from the Peoria Zoo.
Uh, oh, look what Scott's checking out...
Well, that's a little out of my budget, I need to steer Scott over to...
The $3.99 rubber snake bin.
Here's Scott getting all Gene Simmons with his birthday gift. Happy birthday, Scott and we'll see you all tomorrow.
Peoria Zoo
2218 N. Prospect Road
Peoria
309-686-3365
