Out of all the travel pieces I have written, the one I have been asked about the most was a Chinese lantern festival. This time we didn’t have one here in Tampa, but at the Jacksonville Zoo.
Colors of the Wild is their spectacular, lantern festival. Running on weekends until February 18, it is worth the trip.
Babies, babies, babies
The first thing I tried to tackle was seeing the baby animals. Two baby bongos were out. Bongos (forest antelopes) are extremely shy. Every time I tried to take their picture they showed me their backside. Finally, I managed to catch an adult facing me.
Not to be missed was six-month old Banks. Banks, a baby jaguar, is accelerating into to adulthood, but still has a cuteness to him. His dad was right next door. The jaguar habitats are really great for viewing at this zoo.
The last set of babies were not available for viewing. Three tiger cubs were still tucked away with their mother.
Pathways
The designers did a fabulous job of decorating. Several pathways envelop visitors. Being surrounded by beautiful colors and designs is sensational. Taking advantage of Jacksonville Zoo’s gently curving paths added a special element.
Thoughtful touches mean if you rush through you’ll miss out. I wonder how many people will walk past this parrot because they’re too busy looking at the feathers.
Nighttime Safari
The animal scenes were gorgeous. I loved the color and the stunning look to many of the scenes.
Some of the animals reflected their natural magnificence in real life. Others such as the bees, flowers and frogs were made pretty and fun.
A Nod to Tradition
Globalization is not all bad, especially when we get the benefit of a modernized Chinese lantern festival. The nod to the roots of this with the Chinese themed scene was mesmerizing.
Of course, when you reach the end, there was a dragon. A highlight of Chinese mythology and the symbol for 2024—The year of the dragon. Here is wishing my fellow travel writers memorable travel adventures this year. I am grateful for photography, allowing me to revisit this temporary show any time I want.
Fantastic photos, Kai!