Visiting the National Zoo

The National Zoo is a part of the Smithsonian Institution, and as such charges no admission fee. Due to that fact, plus its relatively convenient location near the Woodley Park Metro stop, and its hugely popular pandas, the Zoo is on many tourists' lists as a place that should be visited. On a recent chilly spring Saturday, a friend convinced me to join hordes of tourists for a visit to the Zoo. Because - after all - who can resist the promise of cute animals?

The Zoo's most famous inhabitants are located near the entrance of the zoo, and attract huge crowds. While we did not spot baby Bei Bei, who was born in August 2015, we were treated to the sight of two of the other three pandas spending time outside.

Pandas spend much of their day eating, as they typically consume between twenty and forty pounds of bamboo every day!

Afterward, we stopped and said hello to the elephants.

Then, searching for warmer temperatures, we explored the Small Mammal House, which is actually quite fascinating as one is quite close to the animals, plus many of these creatures are not that well-known. Many of the animals were enjoying a lazy Saturday...

And then my camera's battery died. Love it when that happens! By this time the zoo was overrun by tourists, plus it was time to find lunch....