Zoo and Ice Skating

We ended up staying at Arlington a little longer than we expected so it was after 1pm when we headed back to the Metro for our next stop at the National Zoo. So there are two stops where you can get off an walk to the zoo. The one labeled zoo and the next one.  So the one first one is a uphill walk and the second one isn't, so of course we picked the second one and got off at Cleveland Park.  As we exited the subway, we found this very cute little area with lots of little restaurants and shops.  It was almost 2pm by now and we were all hungry.  

 As we are talking about where to eat, this older couple passes us and stops us and points to the blue and white awning and says that its is a great place to eat and since we like local, we headed that way. It was called Byblos Deli.

 Delicious it was!  The top right picture is just chicken.  When we were looking at the menu, he gave us a piece to try, a pice that was big enough to be its own portion!  The kids loved it and they just ordered the chicken and French fried.  Chris got a gyro and I got a cheeseburger and it was all sooo very good!  We sat and enjoyed lunch and watched the people walking around.

 A picture of the little street we ended up on.

 National Zoo.  Did I mention that it is free.  I love zoos! And the fact that there are no gates, you just walk right in, if I lived there I would be at the zoo all the time!

I have loved Pandas since I was little. I had an opportunity to see them in San Diego when I was a teenager and then again in Memphis about 15 years ago and I made the comment that if all I got to see the was Panda's today I would be good!

Well but the time we got there there was less than an hour before closing and we went straight to the Asia exhibit.  We were one of the last ones to enter before they closed the doors. I could have sat there for hours and watched them!

This one was the only one awake, the other two were sleeping

 How cute is this!

 We got to show the kids Pandas!

Just a little siesta! 

So our timing wasn't perfect for the zoo but since we saw the pandas I was good.  They closed at 4pm and you could hang around for 5pm and the zoo lights would start, yep these are free as well!  But the kids weren't interested in the zoo lights and Batman requested ice skating on the Potomac so we headed back to the Metro and then the wharf district. 

 Well we made one more stop. We saw this place while eating lunch.  It is called Firehook Bakery. Yes we must try it lol. They say the are local Washington DC bakery.

 Hot chocolate

Chocolate brownie and a 7 layer brownie.  Wow!  They were great. 

 Back at the wharf.  Batman and I were the only ones that skated.  Ladybug was not interested and Chris has waved off on any type of skating after breaking his leg last year.

 I skated for a bit then I had had enough and we let Batman skate till he closed it down.

One happy boy!