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Thylo's Trip to the Land of Tea Drinkers

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by ThylacineAlive, 18 Aug 2016.

  1. ShonenJake13

    ShonenJake13 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    We are more or less completely in agreement Thylo! My first time at Chester was not long ago and it also did not disappoint. I have to agree Tropical Realm is my highlight exhibit, though Realm of the Red Ape and Islands aren't far behind.

    I completely agree about the Parrot Breeding Centre and the chimp house. One too empty, the other insanely prehistoric. When looking at the blueprint of the entire chimp house (on one of the signs by the island) it doesn't seem that bad but the show den is a nightmare for (soon to be) 20 chimps, the largest group in the UK at the time of writing. The Parrot Centre is also terrible, especially since both times I have visited Chester there were no amazons to see at all indoors.
     
  2. sooty mangabey

    sooty mangabey Well-Known Member

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    The macaque / sea eagle enclosure was the zoo's original polar bear enclosure; I think I'm correct in saying that it stems from the place's opening. It was a still in use for polar bears when I first visited the place in 1988 (although this may have just been a male, separated from a mother and a cub).
     
  3. pipaluk

    pipaluk Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I agree in terms of birds definitely, apart from the gharial, the number of species in monsoon forest was disappointing!
     
  4. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Parrot Breeding Center is even more disappointing once you realize how many species they keep and how many of them used to be on-exhibit from what I've heard... Still, as I mentioned, fantastic zoo.

    ~Thylo:cool:
     
  5. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    July 30: Numpties and C*ckwobblers

    I guess you could say this was the day my trip really took off. Four days in the Southwest with an average of three zoos per day!

    Nisha, zoogiraffe, and I were the only ones to stay for the entirety of this leg of the trip, though ophidia and GentleLemur joined us for this day in particular (though GL only joined for Paignton).

    We started by driving down to Living Coasts, which was one of the oddest but most enjoyable collections of the trip. Next we visited the tiny Shaldon Wildlife Trust, and then topped the day off with Paignton Zoo. All three were very good, but very different places.

    We ended the evening by arriving at ZG’s friend’s house, which is where we would be staying for the next several nights.

    It was around this time where I learned my favorite British insults: Numpty and C*ckwobbler. My preferred way of saying the latter being, “You, sir, are a wobbler of c*cks!” Anyone care to guess who taught me that?

    ~Thylo:cool:
     
  6. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    Oh, it *must* have been Nisha ;) beneath her demure English rose facade beats the heart of a true northerner, filthy mouth and all!
     
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  7. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    The chimp showden at Chester actually isn't that old. It replaced the old bare indoor yards (which looked like dancehalls) which were built into the Tropical House. I can't remember the year it was constructed- Bongorob would know, but agree it is far too small for the group size. Double the size and it would not be too large.
     
  8. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Well, it was opened by Princess Diana, so it's not very new...

    I think it was 1989.

    Definitely the weakest exhibit space at Chester. It's dark, cramped (for humans just as much as chimps) and does not do the outdoor exhibit justice.
     
  9. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Interestingly, 'down my way' (Birmingham), the variation is c*ckwomble. :D
     
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  10. Brum

    Brum Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    In my part of Birmingham it's the far less sophisticated c*ckmuncher, vive la difference! :p
     
  11. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    For anyone keeping track of my photo uploads, I've unfortunately lost my photos from Whipsnade Zoo and the Cotswolds (August 3 and 4) :(

    As for the reports, I've actually almost finished writing all the day reports and then I'll start writing the zoo reviews and I'll get posting again :)
     
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  12. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    At this speed you will be back again before you finish writing up your last trip. I hope you remember the days when we had to wear different coloured tops so that people could tell us apart. :p
     
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  13. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Some ZooChatters may not understand this remark unless they remember this photo.


    Rob is wearing the carmine tee-shirt and Thylo has the black tee-shirt and navy blue anorak (plus shorts).
     
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  14. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Meanwhile in opposite world :p

    ~Thylo
     
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  15. elefante

    elefante Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  16. Dassie rat

    Dassie rat Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    It is better to wear a carmine tee shirt than a carmine bee shirt if you encounter Merops nubicoides.
     
  17. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Search Media for carmine ;)
     
  18. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    or tee shirt?
     
  19. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    It is the colour of my shirt, carmine -a sort of washed out red.
     
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  20. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I've finished uploading the last of my photos from the trip :)

    (Unless I can somehow find my Whipsnade and Cotswold photos!)

    ~Thylo