Ludwig

Ludwig von Flusspferd wrote to tell Hippo how much he likes seeing all the fun things that Hippo does. And he wanted to share some other things that he likes to do too.

Ludwig likes snuggling in for a long trip.

Ludwig likes consulting the lunch menu.

Ludwig likes food shaped like O's

Ludwig likes playing in the snow.

Ludwig likes making angelic snow hippos.

Ludwig likes computing probability distributions.

Ludwig likes decorating cookies.

Ludwig likes playing the Moonlight Sonata.

Ludwig likes eating cake.

Ludwig likes art.

Ludwig likes posing with statues.

Ludwig likes pretty pictures.

Ludwig likes collecting souvenirs.

Ludwig likes getting presents.

Ludwig likes playing games.

Ludwig likes fancy dinners.

Ludwig likes dessert.

Ludwig likes taking naps.

Sweet dreams, Ludwig. And have a happy new year!

Hippo's Secret Tour of Washington, D.C.

This is the time of year when tourists begin flocking to Washington, D.C. to enjoy the sights and history of the nation's capital. Everybody knows the famous places to see: the Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Smithsonian Museums. But not everybody knows the quieter museums, buildings, monuments, and parks. So here is Hippo's guided tour of some of his favorite, secret places in Washington:

National Portrait Gallery
This museum houses a great collection of history as art. They have educational portraits of famous Americans from colonial days to modern times, including a gallery of all the American presidents. They also show temporary exhibits of great American artists and different formats of art like graffiti and commercial posters. It's located in the old Patent Office near Chinatown and stays open later than most other museums.

Udvar-Hazy Center
This extension of the Air and Space Museum is a large hangar near Dulles Airport. It contains a fantastic collection of aircraft and spacecraft from the entire history of flight. Everything from balloons to biplanes, war planes, research jets, satellites, and the first Space Shuttle.

FDR Memorial
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is a low, quiet series of plazas along the Tidal Basin. It depicts the four terms of his presidency from the Great Depression to the New Deal to World War II. Statues, engravings, and waterfalls convey a sense of how the man, the country, and the world changed during those years. In the springtime the memorial is especially beautiful with blossoming cherry trees.

World War II Memorial
This is one of Hippo's favorite spots to rest during a long day exploring the Mall. It's sunk below street level, a pretty fountain circled by majestic pillars and twin waterfalls. If you visit at sunset then you can sit on the warm granite benches and watch the sky fade behind the Lincoln Memorial.

National Zoo
Of course, Hippo's favorite place in Washington is no secret at all: the zoo! He loves to visit the bears, cheetahs, apes, pandas, lions, tigers, flamingos, horses, zebras, goats, cows, chickens, pigs, orangutans, tamarinds, anteaters, otters, seals, beavers, wolves, elephants, his great uncle Happy, and everyone else whose name he can't always remember. But his secret is that if you want to really see the furry, scaly, and feathered animals – rather than a bunch of hairless apes in clothes – you should visit when it's cold or rainy. The animals don't mind the weather, so if you dress warm you can keep them company on a quiet day.

Hippos in famous places

The advantage of being a dwarf pygmy hippo is that it's easy to travel. Just burrow into a human's purse or backpack and next thing you know you'll being flying off to exotic locations like Florence, London, or Istanbul.


Hippo found this collection of photos of hippos in these famous places. Of course he submitted his own photo posed in front of The White House.

If you have a photo of your hippo in a famous place you should submit it too. If not, then get traveling!

Cute Little Companion

When Hippo is traveling or just playing tourist around town, he likes to bring along his stuffed hippopotamus, Tiny.

Tiny is very comforting. He is also a good model to pose in pictures while Hippo documents his travels. Sometimes he seems to take on a life of his own.

Tiny enjoys all the exciting things that Hippo shows him. And Hippo gets more adventurous when he has Tiny to entertain.

It's a little embarrassing when Hippo goes through a security check and has to reveal the stuffed animal in his backpack. But the screeners usually just smile and let him through.

Mr. McNoceros

Hippo's new friend Mr. McNoceros shared a photo album of his world travels. Hippo thinks it's rather handsome to grow a horn upon one's snout, sort of likely a mustache but without the itchiness.


Mr. McNocerus has seen many famous sights including cathedrals, natural wonders, and a slightly crooked tower. But the coolest has to be the temples of mountain-dwelling space nerds.

How to pack a hippo

The United States Postal Service has some handy instructions for movers on how to pack their valuable belongings. Included, of course, is How To Pack Hippos:

The packing list includes: 1,000-gallon tank (per hippo), crane, 1-pound sedative, soothing hippo music, and two aspirin (for you).

Hippo prefers to travel by chauffeur. His packing list includes hat, sunglasses, rain poncho, swimming trunk, cookies, and a book.