Happy Hump Day!!!!!!!! And you know what humps remind me of? Camels. And you know where you can see a camel? In Israel by the Dead Sea. No joke. You give the guy $3 (or something like that) and not only will he let you take a picture of his camel, he'll let you even ride it. And you're wondering how I know this? From firsthand experience, duh!! But I'm pretty sure, just like everything else in this world, the price for a picture and a ride with Humpty the Camel (sorry folks -- I couldn't come up with a better name for the camel) has gone up a few dollars since I did this, which was 13 years ago. Oh, but don't forget -- you also have to pay for airfare to Israel and all that fun stuff, so maybe this camel ride isn't that po' grad student budget friendly.
But you know where else you can see a camel? At the Bronx Zoo. And you know what's even better -- when you can go see the zoo for a "suggested donation" of $16 (but of course, just like with anything else that runs on a "suggested donation", you can give as much or as little as you see fit to get into the zoo). And when does this happen? On hump day...every hump day...when the zoo is open that is.
BUT....don't get all excited now. There's a few things to know:
1) This is only for general admission. If you want to include special rides & attractions with your visit, you have to pay for that.
2) Apparently going to the zoo on a Wednesday is a madhouse. Or at least that's what I've read from the reviews online. And I'm pretty sure those were for times when the young ones were out from school and parents were trying to find a way to keep them entertained without having to spring for an all out vacation. Seeing how this semester I do have Wednesdays off from schooland with an unlimited Metro card, I might have to take a day off from my day job and go see how the zoo is on a fall Wednesday. If I make it out alive or without strangling anyone, then bam!!! We've found a decent time to go and actually enjoy the zoo. Otherwise -- we're all straight out of luck and better off going back during a day where we have to pay full admission fare.
3) Allegedly there are camel rides at the zoo, but even if you paid for the total experience, the camel rides are extra. At least that's what I've understood.
Or if you want a camel-free zoo experience, you could just do what my brother-in-law used to do and go to the "free zoo" a/k/a Petland.
As for me, I've had my fair share of camel riding. Once was enough. Plus as Genie in "Aladdin" put it, "They spit."
But you know where else you can see a camel? At the Bronx Zoo. And you know what's even better -- when you can go see the zoo for a "suggested donation" of $16 (but of course, just like with anything else that runs on a "suggested donation", you can give as much or as little as you see fit to get into the zoo). And when does this happen? On hump day...every hump day...when the zoo is open that is.
BUT....don't get all excited now. There's a few things to know:
1) This is only for general admission. If you want to include special rides & attractions with your visit, you have to pay for that.
2) Apparently going to the zoo on a Wednesday is a madhouse. Or at least that's what I've read from the reviews online. And I'm pretty sure those were for times when the young ones were out from school and parents were trying to find a way to keep them entertained without having to spring for an all out vacation. Seeing how this semester I do have Wednesdays off from schooland with an unlimited Metro card, I might have to take a day off from my day job and go see how the zoo is on a fall Wednesday. If I make it out alive or without strangling anyone, then bam!!! We've found a decent time to go and actually enjoy the zoo. Otherwise -- we're all straight out of luck and better off going back during a day where we have to pay full admission fare.
3) Allegedly there are camel rides at the zoo, but even if you paid for the total experience, the camel rides are extra. At least that's what I've understood.
Or if you want a camel-free zoo experience, you could just do what my brother-in-law used to do and go to the "free zoo" a/k/a Petland.
As for me, I've had my fair share of camel riding. Once was enough. Plus as Genie in "Aladdin" put it, "They spit."