This will go down as one of the best days ever! Day started off a little rocky with some time-zone-adjustment-overly-excited-about-vacation grumpiness BUT the mood changed once we found…

the automatic pancake maker at breakfast!!!! Seriously, we were like country mouse done come to the city!  Hahaha! But we weren’t the only ones – it was the talk of all the breakfast tables😀

While we waited for the (free 😍) Zoo Shuttle, we worked in a little Ninja Warrior Training 

And then in true Jimmy Maske style, we arrived at the Zoo just when they turned the key to open, and we started our day! 

I know we have a fantastic Zoo in NC, but this zoo is absolutely amazing! We saw some of the coolest creatures! Even my little zookeepers were impressed –

We saw a snake necked turtle. It literally is a turtle with a snake’s head on it. We saw blue lizards, giant anacondas, Tapirs, capybaras and a real panda bear! I have always wanted to see a panda! Bucket list item – check!

Boys made us loop back around because somehow we missed the leopard area. We found it – was like a giant cat house all areas connecting to gather in overhead bridges for the cats.  Apparently Michael and Leo look like lunch to snow leopards (look above their heads)

I have to say one of the highlights from the day (and life) was hand feeding the giraffes! 

Their tongues look like black snakes and these things are HUGE!! Who just hand feed giraffes? This crowd right here! 

If  we leave tomorrow, their faces made it totally worth it! 

We saw tigers taking a bath, and met a yellow lab named Honey who’s best friend is a cheetah named Bakka.

We finally got to see the full sized hippos (because the Pygmy Hippos didn’t count) 

And enjoyed a water fall with Daddy

We road a double decker bus, got small (suitcases won’t hold much more), and made our picture on EVERYTHING! It was such a great day and it only took 10 hours and 16,646 steps! 😬😳👣👣👣👣👣

So just when we think the adventure is  over… So we leave the Zoo planning to just have Domino’s deliver to Hotel. Our shuttle driver suggested a local pizzeria nearby. I love an adventure (clearly) so off we go to Luigi’s on 25th… OH MY WORD! I have had pizza in Little Italy in New York and in Chicago, but this was THE BEST pizza I have ever had and it was cheap – 2 HUGE slices and a drink for $6! And delicious kinds too – artichoke tomato and pesto, potato skins pizza (called the Sportsbar), sausage and pepperoni, and the ol’ standby: cheese.  If you are ever anywhere in San Diego, this pizza is worth a drive!🍕🍕🍕

After all that, Michael and Leo made it about 10 minutes after a shower… Looks like it was a good day 

Tomorrow we are off to the USS Midway and a few other stops from recommendations from folks we met today – shocking, right that we struck up conversations with strangers 😜  Hope my vacationers aren’t too pooped for Day 3!