Monday, December 14, 2009

ZooLights

A favorite holiday tradition for Hippo is dressing warm on a cold December night and going for a very special walk through the National Zoo.

It's ZooLights!

The trails are ablaze with festive lights.

And glowing animals appear around every corner.

Even tropical birds enjoy the festivities.

Hippo has stars in his eyes.

Tigers prowl the forest.

Chasing after butterflies.

The light pandas are munching happily.

And the fuzzy pandas are snoozing. Tai Shan must have gotten tired packing for his big trip to China.

A family of elephants is stomping through the grass.

And making it hard to hold the camera steady.

It's not quite cold enough to build snowhippos yet. But the water is definitely too cold for a swim.

We should go warm up in the barn.

The alpacas are getting cozy in their beds and probably wondering what's with all the late night visitors.

But the goats are already fast asleep.

A squirrel is outside juggling acorns.

And a pumpkin is grazing on the – wait, pumpkins aren't animals. Pumpkins are food! Mmm, food…

Nothing can be more satisfying after a brisk walk in the cold than warm cinnamon donuts and hot chocolate.

7 comments:

Regulus said...

Oh, Hippo, thank you for this delightful post with such wonderful pictures. I live, like, not even a mile from the National Zoo and I've never seen the Christmas Zoo lights. I'm going to change that and go in the next week.

Hippo A. Potamus said...

If you take your hippo, make sure he dresses warm, and buy him some hot chocolate!

Jimbo said...

Friday Date Night at ZooLights

December 18, 6-8:30 p.m.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Celebrations/ZooLights/datenight.cfm

http://snurl.com/tquyy

Jimbo said...

National Zoo is closed Sat. & Sun. (Dec 19-20) because of the SNOW!

No ZooLights until we reopen. Be safe & warm. Take a virtual visit

http://snurl.com/trc8x

Jimbo said...

The zoo will be closed Monday, 12/21, but Smithsonian museums in DC will be open.

See zoo pics from a snow day in Jan. 2009:

http://snurl.com/ts107

Jimbo said...

The Zoo is closed Tuesday, Dec. 22nd, see:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/

Follow the Zoo on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/NationalZoo

Jimbo said...

Zoolights is canceled tonight, Tuesday, Dec 22. Tickets are valid any other night of Zoolights.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/