Over the past year or so, we've become friends and we check in on one another and we care about each other's lives. He's met each of my parents and my sister (in different moments) and he knows my boyfriend. He brought me flowers on my 40th birthday. I congratulated him when his daughter, Sofia was born. I give him sake or wine to take home and drink with his wife. I've met his brother Ricardo (also a cabby), and I've taken rides from his friends Alfredo, Denis and Ricky.
So one day, he mentions that he has a job perk, being a Miami cabby. He gets to go to Jungle Island for free - and he can get friends and family in for free too! This is because Jungle Island advertises on the backs of all of the sanctioned Miami cab receipts.
One weekend this spring, as we are spending time with my boyfriend's 12 year-old niece, I decide to pull the favor card and ask Miguel to get us into Jungle Island. What a treat! Tickets are over $20/person and we got in for FREE!
And again, what a TREAT! Birds and alligators and lizards - OH MY! We met Mojo, the talking parrot:
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| Mojo waves and says "Hello!" No joke! |
And so many other beautiful birds......
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| Peacock |
We discovered that these birds really enjoyed the interaction with us. Arden and I talked to these birds for a long time -- to our delight!
And then there were the Ligers.....
According to Wikipedia (ok, maybe true info), the Liger is the largest cat in the world. A hybrid of a lion and a tiger, he first liger was bred in 1824. Keep in mind though, that ligers do occur naturally in the wild. Not often, but they do occur. The cool thing about Jungle Island is that the liger there named Hercules, is the largest non-obese liger. He weighs 904 pounds and he's been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Anderson Cooper 360. Meet Hercules:
He was eyeing a seeing-eye-dog behind us and he clearly WAS HUNGRY. We were grateful for the protective glass! I think the dog was too...........
And then there were the Ligers.....
According to Wikipedia (ok, maybe true info), the Liger is the largest cat in the world. A hybrid of a lion and a tiger, he first liger was bred in 1824. Keep in mind though, that ligers do occur naturally in the wild. Not often, but they do occur. The cool thing about Jungle Island is that the liger there named Hercules, is the largest non-obese liger. He weighs 904 pounds and he's been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Anderson Cooper 360. Meet Hercules:
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| Pacing with hunger.... |
He was eyeing a seeing-eye-dog behind us and he clearly WAS HUNGRY. We were grateful for the protective glass! I think the dog was too...........
I don't need to go on about Ligers, because the other cool exhibit at Jungle Island is the Flamingos (did you know they get their pink color from the shrimp and salmon they eat?? -- This ingredient is called carotenoid protein - like in carrots)
The entire afternoon was so much fun - and I will gladly go back when ever I should get the privilege.....
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| Uncle Gregg, Arden, and me! |
Here are the details.....
Jungle Island
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail
Miami, FL 33132
Open weekdays 10am-5pm, weekends 10am-6pm.
Adults $30.95, Children $22.95 plus tax (unless you have an awesome friend like Miguel!)
Lions and Tigers and Ligers Oh My! I'd love to meet a Liger as I don't know them and have never heard of them either so I thank you for edifying me and getting me caught up on this issue of the rare and exotic and wonderful Liger. Maybe sometime we could liger over a bottle of wine and ask ourselves how exciting it would be to be face-to-face looking into the eyes of a live Liger? Cheers Morgan. TONY
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