The Park of Legends
I step off the bus provided by my school Colegio Roosevelt. The cool, fresh air tickles my face. The sky is covered in a thick, gray blanket. I hear the chattering and bustling of my fellow adventurers. As a group we move towards the lofty red brick gates with their steel bars. A candy wrapper blows by in the soft breeze. A line leads up to a begin with the animals of the Amazon jungle, including primates, cats, birds, and various other creatures. A small, rocky fountain on my left gurgles happily as the water collects in a small basin. A large glass enclosure draws our attention. Inside is a lithe jaguar parading gracefully along a tree branch. It comes to rest on a wooden beam and lays down watching us with a gleam in her eye¹.
We enter the bird section. Inside a fenced pen I see a strange turkey like creature with orange wattles. Its head is bald with white plumage, its black glossy tail feathers are a stark contrast. The seemingly alien creature turns to stare at us. Its eyes are white with black beads in the center. With a shudder I move on. The slowly rising sun begins to show its face above the skyline².
Up ahead I see a building. Its roof is made of dried palm leaves. I enter the shady room, the ground has changed to red dirt hardened by years of feet both young and old. Everyone’s cameras flash, illuminating the room. I walk over to a glass enclosure to see a small monkey with a white moustache. He looks like an ancient philosopher. He eyes me with a knowing face and places his palm on the glass and then scurries away³.
Outside is what people call monkey island. The monkeys are free to swing, play, and sleep wherever they want to on it. It sure makes for great pictures. Eventually we stumble across a pond filled with turtles. An old bridge spans the gap from shore to shore. As we cross I see several large carp hanging out next to the bridge.
After a few more exhibits we arrive at the zoo’s shops. They are filled with interesting souvenirs to purchase, from animal carvings and Incan style bows to bracelets and purses. I walk over to the food shop and purchase a gatorade and an ice cream. It costs me 10 soles (around 3.00 USD). I found that the bracelets cost 3 soles (around 1.00 USD). They have a large assortment of snacks. At another stand the food is cooked locally. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to ride the 4-person pedal boats which cost only 6 soles (Around 2.00 USD) per hour. After everybody is filled and has purchased their share of souvenirs, we cross another decrepit bridge that sags under our weight. We find ourselves in the same place as we began. I see the expansive polished cement once again. As we as we drive away I glance back but the Park of Legends has faded into the distance.
Google map: https://goo.gl/maps/2iumZZK73Wy
Tips:
If you want to buy souvenirs bring about 20–30 soles per person. The food at the zoo is a little pricy. You would be better off finding a restaurant outside for lunch or bringing your own food. Many restaurants can be found via gps. If you want to go the fast food route many McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Bembos can be located easily.
Information:
- For kids 3 to 12 it’s only 8 soles (2.40 USD). The disabled and elderly enter free and are entitled to one companion. More information.
2. Only 15,000 jaguars remain in the wild. That number is steadily decreasing, due to poaching and habitat destruction. They are the third largest living feline species. More information.
3. I later found out that this “alien” is called the king vulture. It relies on its keen eyesight to spot carrion. It is one of the larger species of vulture hence the name. Their range stretches across South and Central America. More information.
4. I found that the moustached monkey is actually called an Emperor Tamarin monkey. There are many species of tamarin but only one other has a similar mustache. Both male and female Emperor Tamarins have the moustache. More information.
Bibliography
“Basic Facts About Jaguars.” Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://www.defenders.org/jaguar/basic-facts>
“Emperor Tamarin Photo.” — Saguinus imperator. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://www.arkive.org/emperor-tamarin/saguinus-imperator/image-g67980.html>
“The Habitat Of the Mustache Monkey.” Animals. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://animals.mom.me/habitat-mustache-monkey-1802.html>
“Rainforest Alliance.” King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa). Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/king-vulture>
Google Translate.” Google Translate. Web. 25 Nov. 2015. <https://translate.google.com.pe/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.leyendas.gob.pe/&prev=search>
