Chester Zoo

The only photo I took.....in the butterfly house
We went to Chester Zoo today, which turned out to be a strangely melancholic affair. The zoo in undeniably animal focused now, with it's wonderfully green and spacious enclosures, but instead of the formal gardens, stunning flower beds and English country house feel with the add on of a zoo , I experienced and loved  as a child, the place is now more like a Jurassic Park themed movie set, complete with " jungle" fencing and bamboo everywhere!
Hey ho

22 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:12 pm

    I guess they have to appeal to the young one.

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  2. Going back is the same, better or worse. That's just how it is. Beautiful photo, though.

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  3. What a shame. Where are the pea green pants?

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  4. Yes, John....you promised us photos of you in the pea green pants! :)
    (Sorry about the melancholy)

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  5. Gorgeous photos. And zoos are melancholy places. And particularly when I think that for some animals it is the ONLY place that they can survive.

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  6. At least it hasn't got a bloody great fairground like Alton Towers .... or has it??

    I remember Alton Towers being all gardens and walks with just a tiny fairground in one end and now look at it.

    It's always nice to have a day out, I hope you enjoyed yourselves.

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  7. Sorry to hear it was a sad time.
    Have a good week, John. ♥

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  8. Chester Zoo? Bit of a busman's holiday as you already own a zoo! By the way - belated birthday greetings! How's it feel to be in your mid-fifties?

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  9. I have a picture of me feeding a fairy cake to an elephant at the Chester Zoo when I was about 8 or 9 in the 60's. I imagine it has changed a little since then!!! Hope you had a great birthday.

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  10. Good friends of mine owned the Boat House near Chester right on the river Dee. I spent many happy hours there.

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  11. It's always disappointing when things change so much. I hope the rest of your big day was better.
    Beautiful butterfly. :)

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  12. Nice shot that you did take! Nope you 'can't go home' anymore at all. Sad really.

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  13. birthday, looking back, melancholy,sounds like getter older syndrome we all go their and i know it makes us sad for a short while but hay ho nice to get that over with, now bring on the glass of wine and scotch egg

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  14. I always find zoo melancholy affairs... the immorality of keeping animals caged always bothers me some.

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  15. As long as there were no Disney characters....

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  16. Have you been to Cholmondley Gardens in Cheshire, John? It's beautiful.

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  17. Visiting London zoo as a child, I remember the concrete enclosures that the animals were kept in - far removed from the environments the animals originally came from. I also remember the sadness behind Guy the gorilla's eyes. I am not keen on zoos unless they are there to protect species. I am not keen on circuses either! I will get off my soap box now. Stunning photo in the butterfly house.

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  18. I remember the Chester Zoo you describe from old John. Such a shame they have played up to modern demands of the theme park look.

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  19. I remember going on a school trip to Chester Zoo, threw up going and coming back, I still get travel sick! All I can recall is the Seals and the smell of rotting fish, wedged where they'd been thrown into the side of the Seal's pool. I do hope they've changed the design of the pool....
    Come on John! Show us yer green pea pants!

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  20. I am curious about the impetus behind the changes. If it's because it is giving the animals a more realistic environment then I think it would be a good thing. If it's strictly for aesthetic purposes though then not so much.

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  21. Waiting for the photo of you in the pea green pants! I love the black butterfly. Is that for real? xx

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  22. Zoos have always made me feel sad. I'm sorry your visit to the Chester Zoo was disappointing. I hope the rest of your birthday was nice.

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