Pandas!!!

At Beijing Zoo - China's largest zoo and the first stop of our third day in Beijing - the pandas are without a doubt the main attraction.

It costs 15 yuan to enter the zoo (about $3 Canadian) and an extra 5 yuan to see the panda house. Panda merchandise dominate the souvenir stores - from hats, to umbrellas, keychains, magnets, tea sets and of course, stuffed animals (including Kung Fu Panda).

But how can you not fall in love with these cuddly, goofy looking furballs? They have always been my favourite animals - with cats now a close second. I haven't seen one in person since I was 6.

There were three separate panda rooms. The pandas were lazying around when we got there and I immediately thought of our fat and lazy cat, kittyboi. One of the pandas was draped over a thick tree branch like a rug. I turned to Andrew: "Uhh, is it dead?" Andrew responded: "What if it's just a staff member in a suit?" As if it heard us, it soon after turned its head around and stuck out its pink tongue. I really wish I had my camera ready.

The panda's homes are fairly spacious - and include a playground-style set up to stimulate them. It's part of the zoo's enrichment program - which aims to enhance animal activity, provide mental stimulation and increase the success of captive breeding for endangered species. There are five categories of enrichment: social enrichment, physical habitat, cognitive enrichment, sensory enrichment and food enrichment (thank you, zoo sign; you thought I was going to say Wikipedia, eh?).

Looking at the pandas, you can't help but feel bad for the other animals; like the three miserable looking elephants in the cage smaller than the outdoor space given to one panda. Although what an elephant would do with a tire swing, I don't know.

It was the perfect day to visit the zoo. The weather was beautiful. It was a Saturday, so parents were out with their adorable kids - including two girls who walked around wearing blue and pink fairy wings. They stood up on the ledge looking excitedly at the panda. But the panda wasn't paying attention to anyone. He was blanketed in bamboo; savouring it by the leaf full, like it was ice cream.