A Vary Un-L.A. Experience in L.A.

While visiting S. CA last week, we went to the Los Angeles Zoo.

I'm sure we all have our thoughts and opinions, both positive and negative, on zoos. However, what struck me last week had nothing to do with the animals BEHIND the bars, but those on the outside and my hometown in particular.

When we first drove up, I thought, "Maybe the zoo is closed today." I mean, there were not many cars in the parking lot at all. We could have found a spot in the the front row, but, you know, it would have been a ways from the center aisle down which you approach the zoo entrance. (This center walkway bisects the parking lot into two halves; the other side was virtually empty-- maybe 10 cars in total on a (1/2) lot 10 aisles deep by 1/5 mile long.) So instead we parked about 4 rows out, but right ON the center aisle.


There were perhaps 10 big school buses also parked in the lot (up in the first row, but farthest from the center-approach aisle). This is significant because when we first entered, the youngest of the school kids were just beginning to leave. As we proceeded farther into the zoo, there were a few groupd of middle school students. However, after we got to the farthest point of the park, at the end of our inward tack, I began to realize that there were hardly ANY people there-- maybe 4 watching the lions, 2-4 watching the chimpanzees, 5 watching the orangutans, etc.

As we began the head in the direction of the exit, which was still on the other side of the grounds, I realized that by this point ALL of the school visitors had left- we did not arrive until 12 or 12:30- and that they must have constituted about 1/2 of that day's "crowd."

For 1/2 of our visit, we practically had the zoo to ourselves. Don't get me wrong, there were still usually at least a few people at every exhibit we visited on our way out. The numbers on this part of the walk, however, were in the 2-8 range. There were no large groups which typically require one to wade her way to the front to see the animals, or hold the kid on the shoulders so that he could see.

This zoo visit was so striking because not having to deal with hordes of other people anywhere you go in L.A. (definitely in GETTING where you're going) is rare. It's so rare that it was a little disconcerting at first . . . until you realize that it is actually quite pleasant. Of course, it helped that we went on a Wednesday.

For that afternoon, I once again loved L.A.