Anne's Visit: Monday

Monday was all about Safari West. We slept in, had brunch at the Black Bear Diner and got to SW early for our 1pm tour. The ring-tailed lemur island was right near the gift shop so Sallie and I spent awhile watching a young one play around in the tall grass. She was a bit worried it might tip over into the moat.

With the weather still a bit rainy, we only had two other parties along with us on our tour for a total of eleven plus the guide. We all fit on one jeep. First, though we started out on a walking tour of a few exhibits including a walk-in aviary where we got up close to lots of tropical birds and even some blue duikers, teeny little antelope. We saw four cheetahs including two sisters.

Once in the jeep we headed out into the large enclosures where we saw Masai giraffes huddling in their barn, a white rhino pair, an ostrich that got almost right in Anne's face, lots of antelope and impalas, gazelles and oryx, a family of Cape buffalo, wildebeest and gemsboks, springboks and waterbucks, some zebras and a herd of Watusi cattle, the only domesticated species in the preserve. I highly recommend saving up to go check out Safari West.

The fish and chips place I had wanted to eat at for dinner is unfortunately closed on Mondays so after a bit of wandering around Santa Rosa we ended up at the Olive Garden. I've been wanting to go there for awhile. I got the rosemary chicken with broccoli over orecchiette in a garlic cream sauce. It was delish!

Anne stayed with me on Monday after sleeping on Sallie's airbed Friday and Saturday nights. She finally got her laundry in late and we didn't get to bed until after midnight. I don't know what time Anne got up but she was almost ready to head for the airport when I stumbled out at 5:45am. I dropped her off in Oakland then went back to bed and slept until 1pm. It was a great mini-vacation and fun was had by all!