Wild for Melbourne
Beth loves penguins so when in Melbourne we had to go to Philip Island for the Penguin Parade. This is after we had spent the day at the Melbourne Zoo, because if there is anything Beth liked more than penguins it is elephants. Elephants and penguins. Her room in Rochester, New York is wall papered with a jungle print, she has penguin figures, statues, and posters, elephant trash cans with big gaping maws for trash, elephant t shirts, she is just awash in it. Beth is seven. Convincing her to go to Australia was at first difficult, she would miss Christmas, but once we told her about these possibilities, she was happy to sit in the plane for the long flight, doodling her favorite animals (we know which ones) positively atwitter with delight as we saw the Penguin Parade. We got there in the late afternoon, and Philip Island already had folks ready to see the return of the fairy penguins from a day of foraging at sea. the crowd murmured as the first of the penguins emerged in the surf, and skipped along one after another on the sand. It really was a sight and Beth was beside herself with joy. We were two hours from Melbourne here, and pleased Beth got us to come out for her.
As we returned to the city, we thought the luxury hotels Melbourne offers should be named after the penguins and the elephants. These were Asian elephants which once were widespread and now becoming endangered. Beth told us that the ears of elephants help to keep the animals cool. She said this as we watched the magnificent beasts being fed by the zoo staff. They ate enormous amounts (the elephants, and maybe the staff too). Well, Beth was thrilled with this, and we were too.