NC ZOO (ASHEBORO)

Welcome to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. I visited last weekend (in March) when many of the exhibits were undergoing construction. If you're visiting during off-season, be sure to pace yourself. If you walk the entire route, you'll find yourself in a long line (with a long wait) for the tram back to the entrance or you'll have to hoof it back on foot. I made that rookie mistake. The zoo is not laid out in a loop as I had expected. The shuttle runs during the spring/summer so this is not an issue then. Despite that glitch, I enjoyed my day exploring the 550 acres.

Can't say I remember what was in the Sonora Desert building ~ snakes and geckos I guess. I was distracted more by the architecture. To be inside, but feel like you're outside, was all pretty cool. I loved the clear, dome-shaped roof.

Welcome to Honey Bee Garden. Kids were lining up to have their photo taken by mom and dad. As an artist, I loved the inside of the honey comb. Very cool patterns, textures and colors. 

I was really pulling for the turtle above. It was having the darndest time pulling itself up on the stump at feeding time. As for the turtle below... nothing like pulling a chair up to the buffet bar. 

Food and drink can be found at various hubs along the route. If you're stopping at the cafeteria, be sure to go at off hours or you'll be fighting long lines and school groups. This was around 2pm when things settled down a bit.

I'll be back with a second installment of the zoo in a few days. Until then, make yourself comfortable.

A Three-Hour Tour

It was a Sunday when I travelled to downtown Charlotte, so not everything was open, but it gave me a chance to navigate the new-to-me city without having to dodge pedestrians or rush hour traffic. Since this was my first introduction to the city, I just walked around and shot a lot of photos. I won't be able to provide a local's perspective on the city until I return again in the Spring when I dive a little deeper. In the meantime, here are some snapshots from my three-hour tour. Enjoy!

Fish Out of Water

The Many Sides of Charlotte

Take a Load Off

Charlotte has lots of public spaces to grab lunch or take a load off for a while.

A Three-Hour Tour (continues)

The Mint Museum Uptown (left) • II Grande Disco sulpture by Arnaldo Parmadoro (right). 

Packard Place is a hub for entrepreneurs

Metalmorphasis

I took a detour from my trip to downtown Charlotte last weekend to check out the sculpture, "Metalmorphasis" located in Whitehall Technology Park. I had seen photos of this online, but wanted to see it for myself. It's 22 feet tall and made of 40 stainless steel bands by Czech artist David Cerny. Apparently, sections of the sculpture are supposed to rotate and water spews from its mouth. Not on this visit. It seems to be under repair or perhaps they stop the motion on weekends when no one's at work. Despite that, it was very cool just sitting there still. As you walk around the fountain, the mood and expression of its face changes based on the reflection of the water below, the clouds in the sky and where you're standing. I found a video of this online that shows the sculpture in motion, click here. When asked, the artist describes the sculpture as "something of a self-portrait of his own psyche".