True Story: We were visiting the Toronto Zoo with some friends native to Guyana. Looking at the tapir (pictured below) in the Indomalaya outdoor exhibit, Simon said, "We used to hunt these back home. Only they were a different colour. More red."

"Let me guess," I quipped, "They taste like chicken."

Simon gestured at the piggish animal and looked back at me like the idiot I was, "No, they taste like ham."

This marked day five of our in CityPass touristy tour. Unfortunately, I hadn't learned of the free admission Boxing Day special until after Tanja's post. General admission is normally $19 for ages 13-64, $13 for seniors, and $11 for kids; but as a family pass only costs $130 (they also have bargain individual, senior, student, etc. passes), we only have to go three times within a year and it's more than paid for itself.

I highly recommend visiting the Toronto Zoo during the colder months. I'm always surprised by peoples' reactions when we've suggested going in the middle of January's deep freeze. The secret to going during a chill is to make a quick dash to the humid Malayan Woods pavilion. Then it's only a hop and a jump in between the next two warm and toasty pavilions, Indo-Malayan and the African Rainforest.

Today many of the animals we visit are feeling frisky and fancy free. Each time we go we catch different animals at their best. My favourites this time were the baby Sumatran orangutan standing on its skinny spindly legs, the head-butting wart-hogs and the Siberian tiger cubs eying with hungry expectation a fat chipmunk precariously scooting on the top of their cage.

Tomorrow I will continue with CityPass Toronto Part Six: the CN Tower.

photo credits: John Young