Komodo Dragon, and Eagles
Before I start on anything we did today, I’ve got to finish off last nights entertainment.
We went to eat in a restaurant overlooking the sunset in the Faro 2 shopping centre, I had a great Steak and Ali managed to leave the fishbone from her grilled Sole entirely intact. When the waiter returned to take our plates … “Great, very nice” we said, “lovely jubbly” he said. Never thought I’d hear a Canarian say the words “lovely jubbly” … But I’m kind glad I did 
Anyway, this morning we stood at a bus stop for a long time before Ali asked an English-looking woman, “are you going to Palmito’s Park?” … And that’s when we found out we were standing on the wrong side of the road…
A short bus trip through the mountains later and we arrived at Palmito’s Park, an animal / bird sanctuary a little way into the mountains. It was really really nice up there, a lot cooler than the hot sun-blazing area of Maspalomas. The entire park was made up of cactus plants, and palm trees, and lots of open type cages. Walking through the entrance led us to see the small group of Meerkats. Unfortunately Ella didn’t appear to be there, but they were very cool all the same – with a small litter of younger Meerkats (do they have litters? I think so). Next door to them is Spain’s only Komodo Dragon, and onwards a huge array of tropical birds, birds of prey, parrots, alligators, rabbits (!!!), and more and more and more.
We sat and watched the Birds of Prey demonstration – with a bald eagle and hawk circling above the entire time, (the hawk that didn’t want to come back). Cliche’d as it is, a really magnificent bird – and great to see up in the mountains. It seemed more natural than seeing them on Southsea common at farm shows.
There was also a brilliant moment when the falconeer asked for four kids from the audience, announcing the imminent arrival of the world’s largest bird, with a four metre wingspan, and weighing over 45 pounds. The falconeer and his assistances handed over the gloves to the kids and ran and hid behind the restaurant area. But the intense fear soon left as they brought out the koockaburra. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but be a bit dissapointed.
The other entertainment of the day was from the Parrot show. Where Ali was most disturbed by the Parrots riding bikes, and raising flags, and generally doing things that parrots don’t often do in the wild.
