Paris: La Menagerie

Today we didn't have a plan so we thought it would be fun to just walk around. We walked along the right bank and then crossed over to the left bank and went to the Jardin des Plantes which is gorgeous. Then, surprise, there was the Paris Zoo: La Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes.

I adore animals but I'm not fond of zoos because they seem cruel. But looking through the bars made me want to see more so we went in. It is a fairly small zoo and nicely maintained. Some of the animals have more space than others but they all seemed healthy. I took a zillion pictures, as always.

The only thing that completely broke my heart was the monkeys. The orangutans were so human that I kind of got upset. Anyone who doesn't believe in evolution needs to see an orangutan up close. Intelligence and, more importantly, emotion, are clearly visible on their faces. The way they use their hands is also amazing. The baby was adorable, playing with its toys and licking the rope. But when people started to cluster around the window the baby took its pillow and moved to the far end of the (very small) enclosure and turned its back. The adult did pretty much the same thing, climbing up to the top of its enclosure and cuddling with the other orangutans on a platform nearly out of sight. That was pretty disturbing and really sad.

But the real heartbreaker was outside. There was Nenette, curled up sleeping right next to the glass. She looked tranquil and... sentient. The sign on the glass indicated she'd been incarcerated there since 1972. That is sad. I do think it's incredibly important for people to see these animals. It's amazing being able to see them up close. But it still breaks my heart.

Next we walked up a small street in the left bank which was charming, with many little shops selling cool stuff like cheese, wine, vegetables; it all looked good. Then I lost my momentum from all that walking and was really tired and got really crabby. We made our way to the Jardin du Luxembourg where we had some beverages and then I went back to the hotel to rest and John continued to explore Pairs.

He went to the Cite de la Musique (musical instruments museum) which he said is stunning and a must-see for musicians. Then he went to the Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie which he also enjoyed and highly recommends. I will definitely be seeing them next time, I love that stuff.