0h43 (!! :D )
**EDIT: Pictures added 15 oct**
Wow! I had to be up very early this morning to leave at 6h15. Being myself, and tired, I was very klutzy (which the dictionary just informed me is spelt with a k...) and managed to run into the glass kitchen day at a very decent speed on the way to get my oatmeal out of the microwave. I got a bloody tooth, bump on the head, and a bruised knee. Oh, Ashley...I'm just grateful no one saw!! Ha, there's no hope for me :P
But anyway, I managed to regain some sense and we were on our way to the Monkey Valley. It's a sanctuary where they take primates and animals that have had really rough lives (in medical testing, zoos, or elsewhere) and try to give them the best home they can. It's a wonderful facility, and they have some of the most rare species accessible to the public in the whole world. It was about an hour train ride, then an hour bus right from Paris--in Romagne, France.
On the way to the Valley, in Poitiers:
La Vallée!!!
When we first got there, we were shocked to see our first monkey, a wooly monkey, sitting in the trees watching us. Most of the monkeys and other animals (including lemurs) are in access to you--in trees, on the ground, etc. There really aren't many fences to speak of.
The wooly monkey:
The great apes (gorillas, gibbons, bonobos, and chimpanzees) are on little island-type things. There's a little moat of water (maybe about 6 feet across and a foot or so deep) that separates them from you. Apparently, they don't try to walk through.
The gorillas were the first great apes we found. WOW. I can't remember if I've ever seen gorillas in a zoo before (probably), but this was so awesome. It was so cool to know what each of them was and what their place in the social structure of the group is, because of what we learned in class. I felt like I understood them much better. It was really quite an enlightening experience. I didn't think I'd like it so much!
The silverback (the one in the foreground) is the oldest male, who protects and is the head of the clan. He watched us intently, probably to make sure we weren't going to harm his females. Behind him are the two females, the one in the back is holding her little baby.
Head of the hutch:
They all headed inside later. Here's the mom making a bed for her baby. How cute!
Then we headed over to the gibbons. At first, they were inside their little home because it was quite a bit chilly (stupid weather channel! you were wrong again!). They were swinging around and everything, and they would swing over and hit the glass with their foot where your face is. Then, since we were all smiling, they find that intimidating, so they bare their teeth at you. A sign of dominance is to flash your canines for them, so that's what they thought we were doing! It was so cool. We were able to identify the species and from that, figure out which were male and female. The light ones are female, the dark male.
Apparently, they used to have this crazy male gibbon (who, according to our professor, was legitimately mentally ill), and he always swung through trees really bizarre-like. I guess near the beginning of the year, he swung into a branch, which pierced him straight through the heart, and he died. What a sad story :( The ones left are the mother (42 years old!) and her daughter and son.
Then, the female came outside. It was cold, and she was shivering!
Brother and sister heading over to the trees:
The son brachiating through the trees. It was so cool to watch-their arms are so long!!
Then came the lemurs. They were everywhere!! Mostly ring-tailed, but there were some other ones, whose species I forgo. They're not apes, so we don't have to know :P
We came across him on the side walk. He startled me!
This was one of the few that wasn't ring-tailed:
Awww!! They're soo cute!
So close!!
Two adolescents:
The baby!! He was so active, he swung around everywhere. I think the others were annoyed with him, haha.
On our way out for lunch, the little squirrel monkeys were being fed, so we got to see many of them. They are sooo small!! A funny story about squirrel monkeys: they live in all-female families of about forty, or so. For about four months (May - August) when the females are in heat, they will allow a male in, but then after they're done, they kick him out!
Lunch was...wow. The place was so cute. The hostess/waitress and chef were married and their little boy was hanging around us. He was such a cute and amazingly well behaved kid :)
I think probably the best meal I've had so far. Still a lot of fish, for my taste. The first thing was this "kir," which I guess is some drink that's mixed by hand or something--anyway our local guide said it was the best she's EVER had. They were kind enough to bring me out this mango drink, that was actually DELICIOUS!
Appetizer was thinly sliced salami with cherry (or grape?) tomatoes. Oh my goodness. I don't know how they found tomatoes like that this time of year, but boy were they good! I later found out they grow all their vegetables and raise their duck. Wow. It was the cutest place!
First course: Salad with raspberry vinagrette, and two types of fish. The salad was pretty good, the dressing was a bit strong for my taste. I really did try to fish, but I just couldn't keep it down. I'm trying, I swear, I am!
Red wine from the country with the main course.
Main course: Confit de Candard (Confit Duck). Apparently, this is duck leg poached in its own fat, and is a specialty of the region. Olive oil mashed potatoes, and vegetables fried in a pan. The duck was...well...I've heard people say it tastes like chicken, but I don't buy that. It definitely had a fishy taste to it, I think. But I ate most of it. The mashed potatoes!! Oh my goodness! If I have money, I'm going to start making mine with olive oil instead of butter. So much more of a rich taste! Sooo goood! And the vegetables were again delicious.
More wine.
Final course: Pear-chocolate tarte. She was telling us that poached pears with chocolate is kind of a French thing, and they love having their pears with chocolate. It was pretty good! By this point, though, I was so full!
A special house cherry wine.
Then, coffee and tea to wake everyone up after that huge meal.
After, pretty much everyone was quite tipsy or more, and we had to head back to la Vallée. It was a bit comical (though it gets old quickly), but everyone seemed like they were having a lot of fun. I've never seen people drink so much at twelve in the afternoon!!
In the afternoon, we went back to see the chimps. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of chimps because I get the impression they're a bit more violent (or, have more aggression for male-domination competitions, for that matter). Also, that movie with the infanticide really ruined it for me. Anyway, they weren't out yet, so we walked around the island and found one sitting angrily on the other side.
Mr., "I'm not happy."
Then we found some more!
They fed them a bit later, so we all gathered around to watch them be fed. If you talk loudly, or incite them, they'll throw tones at you and whatnot. There's signs and everything...apparently they can be quite confrontational. They came from a medical testing facility and no one knew what to do with them. THey are a group of eight adolescent males, and were just going to be euthanized. Instead, they brought them here.
Everyone coming over for food. They knew it was time to eat!
Two of them fighting (the ones in the middle)!!
Everyone eating :)
The handler threw some of the food into the moat. This guy came over, and used a tool!! How smart. It's crazy that they think to grab a stick and fish it out of the water. Kind of surreal, really.
On the way out, we had time to stop by and see the mandrils. They're smaller than I thought, but their faces are just as cool as I pictured :)
I saw a peacock!!
After that long day, we took the bus and train back home. Some how, we were all hungry again, so we stopped at the pizza place I've been wanting to try since we got here. We got two huge pizzas, buy one get one for 4 euros. And I got my favorite Fanta. Sooo good. I'm totally going back to try the pasta, which looked good!
Overall, a very enlightening day. The apes made me very contemplative, and as much as I complain about the class, I really am learning a lot. I'm able to apply that knowledge, and it helps me understand other creatures. How great!
Tomorrow, probably more museums. So, good night!!
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