Ueno

I wanted to go to the zoo in Ueno for a long time to see Pandas. Unfortunately when I arrived at the ticket counter and asked the sweet lady if it was possible to see this cute creature, I was told that it had passed away sometime ago. I nonetheless went in, because I haven't been to a zoo in many years. I think the last time was when I was 8 years old and we went to Frankfurt Zoo. My chief memory from that visit was seeing Flamingos and buying a parrot and a peacock stuff toys. I might have been to Delhi Zoo - but that was ages and ages ago. I find zoos sad and the animals pitiful. This zoo despite being in a much better shape than many zoos in India, was still depressing. But I saw a couple of polar bears and a gang of very restless meerkats among other animals that I hadn't seen before.

At the entrance:

Origami cranes for the memory of Panda:

A real (not origami) Japanese crane:

Sleeping Emperor Penguins (what an uncomfortable posture, though!):

Drowsy, Polar Bear #1:

Unsure of Whether to Jump in the Water Or Not, Polar Bear #2:

National Bird of Trinidad, Scarlet Ibis:One of the funniest mammals I have seen, Meerkats:

Swarm of Rats:

This Guy happily posed while I took pictures of him! Seriously!!

Flamingos... a disappointment from what I remember in Frankfurt:


Hippos are huge! I never really realised how huge they must be!
'ey there, mate!
Mother goose:

I also went to two Museums in Ueno that day - the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Western Art. TNM was quite big and more valuable for people with an interest in ancient art and Japanese art. It was nice to look at the Indian Miniatures preserved there and the history of Buddha in art traced there.

I had been to National Museum of Western Art before, but I couldn't resist going there again! I had an hour before closing time and the option of 2 Museums - Natural Science and Western art. I chose the Monets, the Renoirs and the Cezannes over dinosaurs. I got to take many pictures this time, but I might clog your RAM with so many photos loading on the page! Also, I think it would be a copyright issue.