Drouseian Day Out...

Today was the day, the blue line had reached the target - 50 degrees and I wasn't too upset about it.  My feet on the tiles surrounding the pool were freezing and the wind had a keen old nipping edge to it.

I could have given it a miss today quite willingly but rules is rules and challenges is challenges so we embraced 50 degrees Farhrenheit in the year that John reached 50 and went in for the briefest dip in history!  John first and then me and our reward was a lovely hot shower as we were going out on our Drouseain Day Out with Rob and Di and going to the zoo which had been planned for last month but then we had the car issue with the Pug and it all got postponed.

It was a cool start to the day but it looked like it would be fine and sunny down on the Paphos Coast so we decided we should wear shorts even if it were for the last time this side of Christmas!

Our journey of discovery started with a breakfast at Haris's Bar in Peyia which is tremendous value for money and good food - most enjoyable had it not been for the flies which the recent wet weather seems to have brought out in droves.  I had to go for the American breakfast which comes complete with breakfast pancakes and maple syrup!  This was in fact our only meal of the day - we had toyed with the idea of having a kebab at Fitos on the way home but none of us were that hungry!

I seem to think that when it was first constructed the zoo was originally a bird park and the animals came later.  There is definitely a bias towards birds as exhibits.  I am not sure about parks and zoos purely as a vehicle for people to stare at the caged species but if it is a means for protecting and increasing numbers then I am all for it.

The grounds of the zoo are lovely and the animals seemed well cared for but one or two looked a little forlorn and lonely as they appeared to be on their own and one or two of the cages seemed a little bereft of greenery whilst others were packed so full you couldn't tell what was inside but maybe this is the habitat that the occupants required.  I particularly enjoyed the otters as we first arrived and the reptile house where we even got to see a snake shedding its skin.

We stayed all day, leaving just before closing and enjoying the sunset from the restaurant.  We had had a brilliant day which the boys topped off with a pint (or two) of Old Speckled Hen on our way back to Peyia.  John and I took hundreds of photographs - too many to put on the blog so the link is below and some of my favourites are in the collage above for you to see.

As residents we took a utility bill and got a discount on entry paying €13 each which we thought was good value.  The zoo is open 365 days of the year - you can even have Christmas Lunch there!  We really have to say a big fat THANK YOU to Di and Rob for suggesting it - brilliant, brilliant day out and I only regretted my shorts decision when the sun went down!

Photos available here:  Drouseian Day Out - Paphos Zoo