Page 129 - REALLY What A time Book IX

REALLY SO WHAT
What A Time

FAMILY OUTINGS

I also loved going to the Zoo. Fortunately, our Zoo was one
of the best anywhere. There were two ways to get there, either
go through town, up Connecticut Avenue past all the grand
hotels and expensive apartments. That way you entered the
Zoo from the top of the Rock Creek valley. The Zoo was on
the hill side.

The other approach was along the parkway. Washington had
these parkways all along the Potomac River probably inspired
by the dredging of Haines Point. This one ran along a little
creek, with trees or woods on both sides of the valley. It was
Rock Creek Park, and Parkway.
Just as we arrived at the bottom of the Zoo, we came to the
place I always looked forward to. We crossed the creek. What
a spectacular way to enter the Zoo. Our ’38 Pontiac drove
through the water, slowly, because Pop always said we’d get
the breaks wet. Hanging out the window I could watch the
water swirl just below the running boards.

If our Zoo had no other attractions than that it would have
been enough for me. I loved fording the creek.
Lots of people like the monkeys. There were orangutans,
gorillas, swinging and jumping all around. I didn’t think they
were so much. I liked the Polar Bears. Two of them would
climb around their rocky cage, and dive into the bluish pool.
They were the largest, and all white. I liked watching them.
Years later I’d learn their hair wasn’t white, but clear, and the
reflection made it white.

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