The Lincoln Park Zoo Earned My Seal of Approval

I know that pun was bad but Bear with me. I started my walk at 11:57 from the Fullerton Station. I suddenly had an urge to go to the zoo and see a bunch of animals. I set out on my walk as the train roared overhead. At 12:04 the wind pushes a shiny pink balloon down the street. The balloon read “Happy Birthday”, I had a feeling someone was no longer having a happy birthday. I continued on down Fullerton as the balloon floated off into the sky.

I turned right down North Clark as the Five Guys drew me in with the smell of burgers and fries at 12:07. I pressed on determined to see the animals. I made a quick right down Sedgwick and encountered construction.

After zigging and zagging throughout the short stretch I was on Sedgwick, at 12:16 I ran into a park with an interesting statue of William Shakespeare. Still determined, I said goodbye to Willy and started down a walking path towards the zoo. 

With the zoo in site, I feel the joy rush into my heart. A minute later I made one more stop because the picture was too breathtaking not to take. The picture captures a beautiful garden with a small fountain as the skyline looms over it in the background. This part of the city seems to be a get away from the concrete buildings being replaced with green grass and beautiful flower arrangements.

12:18 I arrived at my destination, the first animal I encountered was the mighty rhinoceros.

I paused again to notice the towering skyline overhead. Being engulfed in the animals and the nature all around you makes you forget that you are in one of the largest cities in the United States.

The next exhibit I went to was the Seals. I arrived to their underwater oasis at 12:22. The carvings into the wall were done with such detail it could pass as a real seal. Although I was unable to spot the creature I continued on my merry way to the cat house.

Upon arrival all the cats seemed to be napping. A lady lion sleeps with her face pressed against the front of the fenced in box she calls home. A cheetah sleeps up on a rock high above the people walking through the exhibit. Bursting back into the outside world, the aroma of popcorn smacked my nostrils.

At 12:29 I made my way into the reptile exhibit. Snakes all around me, vipers, pythons, and all other forms of snakes watch me as I pass. I am willing to admit that I could only find about half of the snakes in their respected enclosures, making me fear for my life if I were ever surrounded by a deadly rattlesnake.

I moved onward to the less threatening animals in the building. I pass an armadillo and a hoard of naked mole rats. I arrive at the alligator enclosure at 12:35 which happens to be feeding time for the Carnivorous beasts. The alligators were circling the food in the water and every so often one would engage the food and clamp their jaw with so much power. The scaly creatures continued to swim throughout the water as monkeys swung over top. I moved on through the rest of the building encountering other animals such as turtles and foxes. The monkeys were next.

I walked toward the primate house as quickly as I could to see my favorite species. On my way to see the apes, I walked past the zebra cage and it was the worst smelling exhibit at the entire zoo. It smelt like straight feces. I swung into the monkey exhibit to watch the monkeys swing freely amongst the trees. I really like monkeys because throughout my childhood I would watch different movies with chimps as the main character or a supporting role. George of the Jungle was my role model. I was mesmerized at the sight of the acrobatic ape from my video. Being able to swing from branch to branch swiftly and so under control amazes me.

The gorilla exhibit was next and again I had stumbled upon an enclosure with every animal being asleep. One gorilla was sprawled out on the floor while the other gently rocked in a hammock hanging from a tree.

At around 12:55 I marched back to the seals for some closure. I spotted the seal so the second visit was not wasted. After hearing countless jokes about a seal named Gerald, I decided to call it a day and started meandering home.

I decided to take a different path home to continue to explore the city. There are so many different ways to get to the same place it is curious more people do not try different routes in order to see more of the city. On my way home, I stumbled upon two magnificent sculptures in peoples’ yards. My favorite of the two was a tyrannosaurus rex. It was a small stone sculpture that rested in a small garden outside a brick house.

The second one is left up to interpretation because it is unclear what the sculptor had in mind. It was painted yellow and looks like an animal with four legs.

I eventually made it back to Belden st., miraculously. I passed wish field just as soccer was finishing its practice. I continued home to Munroe Hall and went to sleep at 1:30. The end.