Location: London, England Address: Regent's Park Date: September 2015 Website: www.zsl.org
In 1934, London Zoo opened its
famous spiral-ramped Penguin Pool. The pool was designed by Berthold Lubetkin who worked for an architectural firm called Tecton. It is one of
the first uses of reinforced concrete and is a grade I listed structure in England. A grade I listing is reserved for buildings of exceptional interest.
The movie About a Boy was released in 2002. In the movie there
is a small scene where Will (Hugh Grant) and Marcus (Nicholas Hoult)
visit the zoo. As they have their discussion they walk past the Penguin
Pool. There are still penguins in the enclosure as they did not leave
until 2004.
We saw a few reasons for the penguins moving out of the pool. One said that they were contracting bumblefoot due to walking on concrete. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection on the feet of birds. Some people say there was originally rubber over the concrete and it should be put back. We also read they were moved to a duck pond during some repairs and seemed to really enjoy their new location. Another lesser believed theory was based on the popularity of the About A Boy movie and the inclusion of the pool in the film. It was said that the pool attracted too many Hugh Grant fans and the penguins requested to move to a new location where people came just to see them. Who knows? At any rate you can now visit the London Zoo and see the old exhibit which sits empty. You can also see the colony of penguins who are happily living in a new area of the zoo called Penguin Beach.
People born in the Year of the Pig are said to be thoughtful, polite, reliable, courageous and ready to help others. They can also be naive, and self-indulgent. 2019 is the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese zodiac. To celebrate here are 10 of our favourite swine encounters. Oink Oink.
1 )Hawaiian Pigs
Dan's Green House is located in the town of Lahaina, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii. They have exotic plants and rare birds as well as mini pigs. We got a chance to spend some time with these two little guys. Aren't they just the cutest?
2) Babirusa
Speaking of cute, we are sorry but babirusa are just the opposite. They have long legs, weird curvy tusks and look like all of their hair just fell out. They are only found on a few islands in Indonesia and are unforgettable. We saw this pair at the Toronto Zoo.
3) CNE Pigs
When the Canadian National Exhibition comes to Toronto at the end of each summer so does "The Farm". You can experience the sights and smells of livestock. There are always lots of pigs and usually one big sow who spends her day constantly feeding her litter of piglets.
4) Miss Piggy
In Queens, New York the Museum of the Moving Image has a Jim Henson Exhibition. Miss Piggy is one of our favourite Muppets and favourite pigs. Here she is in her wedding gown ready for her big day.
5) Miss Piggy
This Miss Piggy is a crashed freight plane. It can be found in Churchill, Manitoba still sitting where it crashed in 1979. Miss Piggy the Muppet made her debut in 1974. We have read that the plane is named after Miss Piggy because it was overloaded or it once carried a cargo of pigs.
We think it should be called Miss Piggy because of its flat snout.
By the way Miss Piggy, your engine is way over here. Also watch out for polar bears hiding amongst the rocks and wreckage.
6) Red River Hog
The red river hog is a colourful African pig. We like its whiskers and red coat. It turns out that we have a fondness for animals with red coloured fur.
7) Tamworth Pigs
Based on our previously professed love of red furred anuimals you can see why we like Tamworth pigs. They are one of the oldest breeds of pigs. You can also see the curly little tail in the photo above that makes pigs even more appealing. These pigs are from Toronto's Riverdale Farm.
8) Pig Pot at the ROM
This pig shaped vessel was at the Royal Ontario Museum. We imagine it could be filled with some sort of liquid which could then be poured out of the spout in the snout. We didn't make note of what was listed as its intended purpose and often the museum uncovers artifacts whose purpose is only assumed.
9 )Pigman at the Campbell House
We took this photo of the Campbell House Museum in Toronto. The Campbell House was built in 1822 and was actually moved to where it sits today. Looking at our photo later we noticed something odd.
There was a well dressed pig man on the grounds. We hope he was there for an event or promotion at the museum.
10 )Warthogs
We took a trip to Africa and encountered many wild warthogs. We watched them come and go at a waterhole in Greater Kruger in South Africa. We also watched them mow the lawn in Zimbabwe beside the mighty Zambezi River.
Because warthogs have such short necks they usually have to kneel down on their front legs to eat grass. In the video below, various African animals eat beside a waterhole until the warthogs come and take over.
That is our list of favourite pigs. We took part in some celebrations at the Scarborough Town Centre for the Chinese New Year. You can celebrate and enjoy pigs all year long.
Location: Markham, Ontario, Canada Address: 171 Town Centre Blvd Date: Jan 2019 Website:bobeinstein.com
Super Dave Osborne was the greatest stuntman the world has ever known. Actually he was far better at making us laugh than he was at successfully completing a stunt. Super Dave was the creation of Bob Einstein and we have been laughing at the same joke for decades. What will go wrong with Super Dave's stunt today? Super Dave always starts out cheery and optimistic and then things go wrong and he ends up injured and censored. Bob Einstein died January 2nd, 2019 and we thought we would highlight the Toronto connection with his beloved character.
Super Dave was a regular on John Byner's comedy television program called Bizarre. It was during Bizarre that Super Dave filmed his memorable CN Tower stunt. Just one year after stuntman Dar Robertson jumped off the tower as Christopher Plummer's stunt double in the movie Highpoint, Super Dave prepared for his jump. Super Dave is standing outside at the top of the tower with announcer Mike Walden. Mike would be Super Dave's announcer throughout the Super One's career.
The stunt has to be called off due to high winds, but as Mike goes back inside the tower he hits Super Dave with the door. We see Super Dave flail as he falls from the tower. He lands in a parking lot that used to be just about where Ripley's Aquarium is today. To add insult to injury, the ambulance runs Super Dave over and drags him underneath the vehicle.
Bizarre was filmed at the Glen Warren Studios in Scarborough. The buildings are still there today as CTV Studios. The studios are located at number nine Channel Nine Court since 9 is the channel that the station broadcasts on. One of us has been inside the studios to watch a taping of a television show called Circus which aired in the early 1980s. In 1987 Super Dave was given his own show and it also filmed at CTV.
One of us was also lucky enough to see a taping of the Super Dave show when it moved to its new location at the Markham Theatre. The show was filmed in Markham, Ontario up until it ended in 1991. Each week there were specials guest performers along with a Super Dave stunt. Super Dave would attempt his stunt strapped in with genuine Saskatchewan seal skin bindings but things never worked out as he planned. We always knew something was going to happen when Super Dave attempted a stunt. We would have a good laugh.
If you still need a little more of the Super One while you are in Toronto then you need to visit Super Dave! Convenience at the corner of Coxwell and Gerrard. It has everything you expect from a convenience store. Lotto tickets, candy bars, milk, magazines and more. While you are there you can stand out front and give a big thumbs up with the words Super Dave up above your head. Higher up still, in comedy heaven, you will find the legendary Super Dave.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Address: 2223 Bloor St W Date: March 2017 Website:heritagetoronto.org
It started out as a place to see vaudeville performances. These days the Runnymede Theatre is a place to collect Optimum points. The theatre first opened in 1927 and today is one of the nicest looking drug stores in Toronto.
In the middle of the store is a decorative gold dome. We can see why the theatre was called "Canada's Theatre Beautiful".
From the second level we could see the stage behind the cosmetic counter. The ceiling was painted like the sky. In the later 1930s the theatre was a movie house only.
A projector from the old movie house days was sitting up on the second floor balcony. Even the emergency exit reminded us of the building's earlier theatre days.
In 1972,
the building became a bingo hall. In 1980 it played movies again for
about two decades and then it became a retail store. Today it is a Shopper's Drug Mart but well worth a visit to get a glimpse into history.
This location is near Runnymede subway. Visit other Toronto TTC stations.
Location: Bostan, Massachusetts, USA Address: Tremont Street Date: Sept 2013 Website:www.celebrateboston.com
Granary Burying Ground in Boston has been a graveyard since the late 1600s. Many of the graves have been worn thin through the years or had the writing on their faces worn down to where they are unreadable. Many famous people in Boston's history are buried here. We were looking for one grave in particular. The grave of Mother Goose.
Mother Goose is credited with many nursery rhymes. Some famous ones are "Three Blind Mice", "Humpty Dumpty" or Hickory Dickory Dock". After hunting around the cemetery we finally located her grave.
Mary Goose died in 1690. Her husband Issac remarried to a woman called Elizabeth. Thomas Fleet married her daughter also called Elizabeth. It is said that grandmother Goose sang songs and rhymes when Thomas and his wife had their first child. Thomas being a printer made a book of some of these rhymes called Mother Goose's Melodies For Children. This is said to be the first use of Mother Goose in America but Mother Goose had also been associated with rhymes in England long before even Mary Goose's death.
So it appears there is no true Mother Goose. At least not in a cemetery in Boston. Most people are familiar with some Mother Goose nursery rhymes even if much like the myth of Boston's Mother Goose, they have changed and been re-written through the years.
The Hancock Tower is the tallest tower in Boston. It is named afterJohn Hancock Insurance company which had offices there. The insurance company is named after John Hancock whose signature is on the Declaration of Independence. Johm Hancock's grave is also located in Granary Burying Ground.
Paul Revere's grave is also located in the Granary Burying Ground. Paul Revere is best known for riding through Massachusetts warning that the British were coming. We didn't see his grave, but did visit his statue in Boston's North End. Granary Burying Ground is filled with centuries of history and a little bit of mystery.
Location: San Diego, California, USA Address:Old Town Date: February 2014 Website: www.parks.ca.gov
Old Town San Diego is said to be the birthplace of California. Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo discovered the area in 1542. In 1602 Sebastian Vizcaino named it San Deigo de Alcala. The area became a bustling hub, military post and religious mission.
In 1846 the first American flag was raised in Old Town's plaza. In 1968 Old Town became a State Historic Park. In 2014 we made a visit to take in the history, sights and food that Old Town had to offer. We entered the Old Town area through the market. We would come back here later for some souvenirs.
The first order of business was to get something to eat. We had some churros from one of the food vendors. After enjoying our deep fried treat we headed further into the town for some history.
San Diego's first courthouse was built in 1847. It is also the first brick building built by the Mormons after the war with Mexico. At one point it served as the mayor's office.
La Casa de Estudillo is an adobe mansion and was built in 1829. Adobe means it was made from earth and other organic materials. This building is located in the center of town and was the social and religious center during the Mexican Era. The Mexican Era ended in 1846 when the United States declared war on Mexico.
In the center of La Casa de Estudillo is a garden with many interesting plants and flowers growing.
Around Old Town there are also many plants, especially cactus. There are also some resident cats.
La Casa de Machado y Silvas was built in 1843 and used to be a restaurant. This building is also said to be where the Silvas family hid the Mexican flag during the war in 1846.
A covered wagon sits in the middle of the street. This was the primary means of transportation for anyone who came to Old Town.
Across from the covered wagon was the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Back in 1827 it used to be the home of Juan Bandini and later in 1869 a second floor was added and it opened as a hotel. The hotel has undergone some renovations but still maintains some original features such as the floorboards. We sat at a table over these floorboards as we enjoyed a meal in the hotel dining room. A highlight was the deep fried brussel sprouts.
After lunch we enjoyed a walk and some shade down by Fiesta de Reyes which housed some other vendors. It had a nice pineapple topped fountain out front.
In the garden was a metal mariachi band. Old Town plaza was a popular place for music, bullfights and other forms of entertainment.
The Colorado Hotel is much smaller than the Cosmopolitan. This is a reconstruction as we belive the original from 1851 was destroyed in a fire.
As we headed out of Old Town we passed a theatre. It wanted to be like The Swan theatre in England so it was named after a young swan. The Cygnet Theatre runs performances throughout the year.
We headed back to our car and passed the Immaculate Conception Church. This church was built in 1865 and was the first church in California built outside of the mission system. Just outside of Old Town we purchased some souvenirs from one of the many shops. There was so much on offer but we took a small vase as a memento. The mixture of food, fun and history had made for a great day.
ZSL London Zoo (Lubetkin Penguin Pool)
