Well my plan of seeing Nebraska is not really happening very swell. It seems like my weekends are filled with working (which kind of sucks), helping a coworker study (which is friggin awesome) or me being lazy (which is both friggin awesome and sucks). I really, really, really need to start seeing more of Nebraska just in case my visa doesn't get renewed. Which, at this hour on this day, is not happening. Just a brief update on that - I have an appointment to meet with an immigration attorney on Wednesday to figure out options so maybe after then I will know where my life is headed come August. Maybe. Possibly. Or who am I kidding- even if I get that information I will still have no clue where my life is heading.
Anywho, I decided to do something that wasn't working or laziness and hit the Omaha Zoo. I have heard a lot about the zoo and read that it was voted the best in the world. Yep. THE BEST. So I was uber stoked and excited about it and figured it would be a fantabulous day and a wonderful escape. The day came, I woke up insanely early to get to the zoo right when it opened to miss the crowds. Clearly everyone else in the state of Nebraska thought to do the same idea as when I got there, there were line ups waiting to get into the zoo. It was mayhem! I got my trusty map and off I went.
Overall- the zoo kind of sucked and was a disappointment. I figured with it being the best zoo in the world, it would have blown my if-I-had-worn-any-socks off. But it didn't. I was underwhelmed and disappointed. Now, don't get me wrong, for Nebraska, it was a decent zoo and I can see the attraction. But to be the world's best - yeah, I don't know about that. And maybe also since there was construction and not all the animals were out, that didn't help matters with my overwhelming of the zoo.
What I think would be awesome is a zoo with no birds. No winged creatures whatsoever. And Ma, I totally blame you for that phobia. Going through the Asia/Africa biodome, I was constantly looking up and checking to see. And if people in front of me stopped and pointed to something above us, I basically stopped and cowered. The biodome was pretty awesome though - the greenery and animals (other than the winged beasts) were beautiful. Being able to see the monkeys just chilling on their trees. The bats doing their thing. And the stingrays with gorgeous flowers. I actually found myself looking at the trees and flowers and rivers and waterfalls over the animals. It was just gorgeous. I actually plomped myself down on a bench (or if it wasn't a bench I made it a bench) and read for a bit while in there. It was hot, yes, but just being in that place with the gorgeous greens and colors was a happy place. 
From there on I went walking. And walking. And more walking. I went to the area that should have/will have the elephants and giraffes and whatnot. But there was nothing there. Nothing. So I just kept walking and found myself in the Sense Garden. It made me think back to the outdoor rose garden in DC. Now I am not a gardener, nor do I ever want to be one. I have no desire to plant flowers or food or anything like that but I will gladly spend time in someone's masterpiece. This garden was so serene and comfy. There were nooks and crannies to sit and have some stillness and quietness in. And ceramic animals kicking around. It was awesome. I came up to the pond/fountain part which had ceramic flamingos. And a duck was sitting on the edge. And at first I thought to myself 'why would they have a ceramic duck sitting there with the flamingos?' Yeah. Not a fake duck. It was a real duck. 
The sea lions were awesome. They were in all their glory, swimming about, barking to each other. And there as a baby sea lion. Who was very grumpy whenever its mom left. Man would it make noise. But it was so cute. They were the most active of animals at the zoo so I stuck around for quite a bit watching them. And the big sea lion, the male I am assuming was so funny to watch. The way he waddled and swam. Any animals in water is a friend of mine. They were just so cute!!!
I am a zoo lover. Most people know that. I am also a huge aquarium lover. Maybe more so than a zoo lover as a) it is indoors and b) there is water everywhere. And I a am a water lover (one of the very many reasons why I loved living in DC). So when I found it time to hit the aquarium, I was happy. There was a lot of people but I managed to not let the crowds bug me and just be there. The penguins were awesome. 
I sat there for over 30 minutes just watching them. They all have such funny behaviors and personality. And I think that if a penguin trainer ever wanted to teach a penguin how to dance, they would have quite a show on their hands. Think of it, the penguins are just doing their thing and suddenly THEY BREAK OUT INTO A FLASH MOB!!! How awesome would that be!!!! Very awesome. Extremely awesome. Awesome beyond all words awesome. I think it needs to be done. But these penguins did not do that. They were standing around. Some were laying. One had the best idea of laying on the pile of snow. And lots were zipping in and out of the water, annoying the other penguins. Man I loved the penguins. 
Then going through the tunnel was quite an experience as I never been through that before. It was surreal. Being able to see all the fish and manta rays and sharks swim all around you, being surrounded by all that water, again, I sat down and did some reading as even though there were a crapton of people, it was so relaxing. I heard the aquarium in Georgia is awesome and now I definitely want to go. The aquarium was my favorite part of the zoo. By far.
Overall the zoo was good. I liked the National Zoo in DC a lot better and the Vancouver Aquarium way better but for Nebraska, this will suffice. I do not know if it is a zoo I would go to every weekend as I was sad about the lack of animals I saw but it would be good exercise as you do a lot of walking and back tracking and whatnot but it was not what I was expecting. But it was a zoo so of course I had to go and check it out.
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