Week 3: August 28 - September 3, 2011

This week was also fairly uneventful, more time in the class room learning. At first it was kind of annoying but we really were learning a lot and in a couple of weeks we would appreciate all of the learning that we got.

On Monday I got to see a carnivore switch. Let me explain this to you. We have a large arena inside of the carnivore area, each of our large carns gets to go into the arena a couple of times a week. When a carn comes out of their enclosure and into the arena, or vice versa leaving the arena and going back into their enclosure, this is called a switch. It is a very detailed process that involves at least 3 people and I got to watch this for the first time. I also spent some time doing volunteer hours around the zoo. It was a hard working day for me.

Tuesday was the day of doing our falcon knot for a test. Once we did the knot on the fence we then did it on an actual bird. I was in line to do my knot on Alba, the barn owl. Well, let's just say that Alba was not in a good mood and kept trying to foot me in the face. This means that she kept jumping off of the glove and at one point had her large talons coming towards my face. Somehow I never overreacted and Cassie was able to get Alba back under control. I was bummed that I didn't get to hold the owl yet, but I know there is time in the future. I also practiced my knot on Arrow the red-tailed hawk.


This is when Alba was about to try to foot me in the face.

Once we left the falcon knot testing a small group of us accidentally walked up on our mountain lion who was out on a walk. He had gotten very spooked and was in no mood for more people around. We slowly backed up and let him pass before continuing back to class. Later on I helped some second year classmates (including Bubs) fix a bedroom box in the capuchin behlen.

Saturday was my first time doing All Day Area at the zoo. This is when you get to the zoo before 10 AM and are there until 5 PM. Each hour you rotate to a different area of the zoo to do watches on specific areas or answer phones or sell tickets. The day goes by fairly fast, I was surprised by this, and you have lots of interaction with the public.

Week 2: August 21 - 27, 2011

This was the first week of actually being in the program. However, not much was done, aside from lots of classes, lectures, and talks.

However, on Tuesday, I was able to manage to go on a walk with Spitz the serval, Gus & Tucker the New Guinea Singing Dogs, and a Nigerian Pygmy Goat. I also got some time in on the Butterfly project. Currently we are trying to breed Lang's Metalark butterflies. I actually found 1 that had eclosed (came out of it's enclosure)and moved 2 larvae.


Spitz the Serval

Wednesday brought about a walk with Nick the miniature horse and I got to learn to clean out his hooves. It's exciting because I have never really worked with horses at all. I also spent some more time in with the butterflies and got to watch them feed for the first time and then built some new feeding boxes.


Nick, the miniature horse

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. At this time I have some free time and I know that it won't last long, so I am making sure to enjoy it.

Tami & the EATM program

Week 1:

So, our blog is now going to be a focus of me over the next 2 years, during my school program.

To start off.....what is EATM? EATM stands for Exotic Animal Training & Management, and it is a program that only exists in Moorpark, CA. Greg and I moved back from London directly to California so I could try to get into this program. Initially, my goal was to train dolphins and other marine mammals. At this point I think I still want to work with marine mammals, but I am also learning so much about other animals that I think I might change my mind and just be very open to other animals, including primates.

I had taken lots of classes already, and then didn't get into the program in 2010 so I worked full time at General Motors for nearly a year. On Friday, April 29, 2011, I got THE call. I had finally been accepted into the program and was going to start in August.

That brings us up to today. Monday was the first day of orientation, but only in the sense that we had to get all of our shots and physical out of the way. Tuesday was the first real day of orientation. This week has been spent learning practices, procedures, rules, the ground, animals, and so much more. I think my head is going to explode at this point. Tomorrow (Friday) is an all day work area. I got assigned to weeding...yay!!!! (not!)

Will give more details next week, just know that I am super excited to be starting to work with animals....something I have always wanted to do :)

Brain Training Videos

Here are a few videos of Brain during training over Labor Day weekend, she is my shining star right now. Pinky doesn't do much, although I finally got her to go down the tube at the beginning and partially through the first rope, but Brain is already down to the next level....Yay Brain!

We have made it to California!

For those who don't know, Greg and I have moved to California so I can go back to school.

We left Friday night, with a very bumpy beginning. We had a tire blow out at exit 101 (near Social Circle) in Georgia, so only got 1 1/2 hours away from Augusta. We then had to wait 4 hours before we could get back on the road. Since we didn't leave til Greg finished work it was now after 10 pm so we just stayed with my Dad in Atlanta for the night.

We woke up early on Saturday and left Atlanta around 5 am. We drove through the rest of Georgia, through Alabama, up I78 to Mississippi then Tennesse and on to I-40 in Arkansas at which point we drove through that state, Oklahoma, and into Texas, where we stayed in Shamrock. This was nearly 1100 miles in 1 day.

Sunday we again woke early and left around 5 am again. We managed to drive through the rest of the panhandle of Texas, through New Mexico, and through Arizona and into California all the way to Barstow.

On Monday we have only about 1 1/2 hours to our new townhome that we will be living in for the next year or two.

Just wanted everyone to know that we have made it to the Golden State.

Island Hopping

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Today was going to prove to be a mixed bag of a day. We started out with breakfast in our hotel, since it was included in the price we figured we would just eat there instead of spending extra money. We then walked to Port Beverello, which was much further than we realized, about a mile or so and in the heat we were feeling it. When we got to Port Beverello we had to figure out the ticketing system and stand in line for almost 20 minutes to get ferry tickets to Capri. There was a boat to leave in about 5 minutes so we really wanted to catch it, since they only ran every hour. We luckily got on and even got seats upstairs in an air conditioned area.

We made it to Capri after about 45 minutes on the boat and then walked around Capri trying to figure out what to do. I was not feeling great but wanted to enjoy Capri as best as I could. We found a place for me to pick up some anti-nausea medicine, which did help a lot. We started out by taking the funicular up to Capri Town. We walked around looking at all of the amazing homes and beautiful scenery and even ducking into a few shops along the way, including a Prada or two. Capri Town is definitely all high-end shopping, the tourist shopping is located down at the port. We didn't buy anything but we did stop in at Bar Tiberio for some lunch and people watching, Greg even enjoyed an ale while we there.

Looking down at the island of Capri from Capri Town:




After lunch we took the funicular back down to the port area and took a boat to the Blue Grotto. Everyone (including guide books) had told us that the Blue Grotto was 1 huge tourist trap, just trying to make money off of nothing. They were right, but it is absolutely amazing inside and we didn't mind paying the price for it. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the Blue Grotto and then all of the boats just wait there turn for the row boats to come up and pick you up. Greg and I were fortunate enough to get in a row boat by ourselves. To get inside the Blue Grotto we had to sit down on the floor of the boat and pretty much lay down completely. Then, the driver of the row boat grabs a chain that comes from out of nowhere and pulls really hard, making the boat go underneath a rock. You are entering a cave, but there is no visible entrance to the cave, it is almost completely submerged. When you go in the water gives off the most amazing blue tint. It is due to the reflection of the incoming light on the white walls. We spent about 7 minutes inside before we do the same thing again to exit. Oh, just to let you know how much the boat goes down, the driver was pretty much laying on top of me, kind of scary but neat.

The entrance to the Blue Grotto:

Me & Greg in the row boat inside the Blue Grotto:


The amazing water inside the Blue Grotto:




We took the 30 minute boat ride back to the port at Capri and bought some souvenirs and gelato before getting on a hydrafoil to Sorrento. When we got to Sorrento we didn't really know what to expect. We weren't sure where the town was so we just started walking. We walked UP and UP and UP these steps until we finally reached the main area of Sorrento. We went into some souvenir shops and even bought some local Limoncello (yummy) from Limonora. Limoncello is one of those alcoholic drinks that you can just drink and drink, but be careful because it has a very high alcohol content and people can tend to drink a bit too much. We take our limoncello in stride with only one serving at a time.

The coast off of Capri:


The stairs we climbed up to get to Sorrento's main area:


Limoncello:


Next we walked to "The Beach". Let me explain, the beach in Italy is nothing like what we are used to. There is no white sand, almost no sand period. When they go to the beach it is little resort areas that have long decks built over top of the water. Their actual beaches are usually lots of rocks (not pebbles, but big rocks). There were even people laying out on the sidewalk so they wouldn't have to pay to get into one of the little resorts. We didn't bring any bathing suits with us so we couldn't lay out, plus it was starting to cool down a bit. So, we just went into The Beach resort and had some water and watermelon while enjoying the sound of the ocean and doing a bit more people watching. I will say that this is when I decided I do NOT like seeing men in white speedos. There is just something wrong with that.

The coast of Sorrento:

Shots of the beaches in Sorrento:








After a while we caught one of the last ferries back to Naples. We decided to do a bit of walking, since it was still full day light and only around 6 pm. We went by Castel Nuovo, Palazzo Reale, Galleria Umberto, Piazzo Plebiscito (looks likes a mini Vatican), Gambrinus (espresso and some babas for desert), down Via Chiai (shopping area but closed), and to Piazza dei Martiri (lion statues). We then walked to the main street and had dinner at Antonio & Antonio where we enjoyed the typical pizza and caprese. After dinner we went back to our room to unwind and enjoy some wine with our babas that we had purchased from Gambrinus. It was all delicious. So, even though the day started out a bit rocky with me not feeling well and the madness of getting to Capri it ended up very nicely.

Castel Nuovo:




Piazza dei Martiri:


Piazzo Plebiscito:


Park across from Castel Nuovo:

On the road...I mean, rail....again

Friday, June 12, 2009

Our last full day in Tuscany we decided to head down to a town called Saturnia. We had seen postcards of it and decided, why not? It was a 3+ hour trip each way, through very small winding roads that you thought would not take you anywhere, but we finally made it. Saturnia is known for it's natural thermal springs. The ones that smell like sulfur. It's absolutely beautiful though. The rocks are all stained white and the water rushes down from this massive waterfall. We put on our suits and ended up playing in the rocky area for about an hour before deciding to get back on the road.

Greg in the Saturnia springs:

Me in the springs:

The Saturnia Thermal Springs:


We snacked along the way, saving our appetite for dinner and started heading back to Greve. On the journey back we got caught in a detour and had to take some rather interesting roads back. The main one led us through this tree lined path that looked more like a driveway in Gone with the Wind and then actually through a small river. Greg said we were getting our tires cleaned for free. We even managed to go down a road that our small care barely fit down.

The little river we had to drive over:


Whew! We made it back to the apartment and decided to hang out by the pool for a bit. We were going to go swimming but the water wasn't quite warm enough so we just hung out with our legs dangling in the water and enjoying some of our prosecco that we had bought. We then decided we needed a shower before dinner, since we smelled like rotten eggs.

Us by the pool:


Since this was our last night in Tuscany we hit the back roads to the rural restaurant from the other night and ate at La Cantinetta di Rignana. Greg had the Bisteca Fiorentina and I had potato ravioli. Greg had been waiting for this steak, but it was highly recommended. Most restaurants only serve it as a 1 kilo steak (Massive doesn't describe it), but this restaurant actually cuts it for you to the size you want. Greg told them he wanted a small one and still ended up with one that was almost 1/2 kilo, it was still huge and Greg didn't even finish it. We had a great dinner, the service was great, and we were at a table where we could watch the kitchen, so it was a nice time. With our bellies full we headed back to the apartment to play some cards and finish packing for tomorrow.

Greg's steak:


Saturday, June 13, 2009
We finished packing and checked out of our apartment and immediately got in the car towards Florence. We were going to hit some of the spots that we missed on Sunday before getting on the train to Naples. Our first stop was at Piazzale Michelangelo to see the 3rd David statue. This one was just as big, but it was bronze, and since it was outside, completely green.

The other David statue:

Greg and me at Piazzale Michelangelo:

Views of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo:


We then drove towards the train station and found a spot to park at before running into Deanna's for a pastry and Cappuccino for Greg. Now that we had some sugar in us we headed by Santa Maria Novella and then the Museo dell'Opera. It was closing last time we came by so this time we were able to go in and actually see the 2nd Pieta by Michelangelo (we saw the 1st one in Rome).

Donatello statue at Museo dell'Opera:

Michelangelo's Pieta:


After we walked through and saw everything the Museo dell'Opera had to offer we went by Santa Croce to see the tombs of Michelangelo, Dante, and Galileo. The rest of the church was closed for service but the tombs were in the back where you could still see them and take pictures. From there we went by a local favorite, Gelateria La Carraia 2, for some yummy gelato (Yes before lunch).

Tomb of Michelangelo:

Tomb of Dante:

Tomb of Galileo:


After the gelato we went to the Museo del Bargello to see the Donatello & Michelangelo statues, as well as others. This building was once a Cathedral that was turned into a prison, so you could see where the walls had been covered in beautiful frescoes, then covered in cement during the prison time, and now the frescoes were slowly being recovered. We then found a small pizzeria to have a quick lunch before getting to the train station.

Donatello statue:

Room that was a former prison:


The train trip to Naples was very uneventful, we just looked at books and talked for the entire journey. When we arrived in Naples it was like complete culture shock. Tuscany had been so easy going and laid back but Naples was absolute chaos. The cars here basically drive wherever they want, whenever they want, and the scooters just go whichever way they choose. It was complete madness and I am sooooo glad we did not choose to drive around here. We took a 20 minute cab ride to our hotel, mainly because we got stopped for a motorcade, and it was only 8 euro, we were shocked at how cheap a taxi is here.

We got to our hotel and were so pleasantly surprised, we knew it was nice but didn't realize how nice. It is a 4 star hotel right on the water front, across from Castel Dell'Ovo and had amazing rooms and views. It is one of those hotels that they use for conferences all of the time. We got to our room and then decided to take a walk down the water front. We walked by Castel dell'Ovo towards Santa Lucia and could actually see Mt. Vesuvius. We went by the Fontana Dell'Immacolatello and then back to the hotel to change out of our shorts and sweaty tops. We realized that everyone there was dressed just a bit better than us so we got some nicer clothes on and headed to dinner at a restaurant right down the road, called Regina Margherita.

Marina near our hotel:

Our first view of Mount Vesuvius:

Fontana Dell'Immacolatello:

Us at the waterfront:

Castel dell'Ovo:


Quite interestingly it is a pizzeria that does sushi as well. So that's what we had, sushi & pizza, good combination (almost as good as sushi & burritos, but not quite). It was a great meal but we were exhausted, so it was time for bed.

Sushi and Pizza...yummy:

When in Pisa.....do as the tourists do

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Today we headed out to Pisa fairly early. On the drive down we couldn't find much on the radio but we did find 1 thing that made us laugh. They were actually playing "3 is the magic number" from Schoolhouse Rocks, and we just laughed and sang along.

When we got to Pisa we parked and walked until we found the Leaning Tower. While we were there we did the touristy thing, and took the typical pose with the tower. I was actually very impressed by the tower, I hadn't expected much, since most people said it was disappointing, but it was actually very pretty and amazing. We did not walk up it as the next appointment was about 4 hours away and we weren't planning on staying in Pisa that long.

Greg holding up the tower:

Me holding up the tower:

Me & Greg with the Leaning Tower:


Some sort of Karate class?:


While in Pisa we did go into the Baptistry and the Museum. While we were in the Baptistry a man came in to do some voicework to show off the accoustics, it was astounding to listen to. The Duomo across from the Baptistry was amazing as well, but we did not go in. After we walked around the grounds and took our cheesy shots we then went into the Museum. The museum was pretty good, a lot of sculptures from the Leaning Tower and Duomo that were removed for safety and a lot of models but the best part was the views of the Tower. It was absolutely beautiful.

The Cathedral (Duomo) in Pisa:

Inside the Baptistry:

The Pisa Baptistry:


Shot of the Tower, Cathedral, and Baptistry from inside the Museum:

Ancient Hippogriff:


When we left Pisa we drove to Lucca, a nearby town that is basically a small walled city. When we got there we were starving so the first thing we did was find a small pizzeria and eat. We then decided we were going to rent bicycles when we came across a place, the thing to do here is to ride bikes around the small streets or along the top of the wall. However, we walked and walked, and saw many churches and sites, but never came across any bicycle rental places, so we just kept walking. After going inside Baptistry of St. Giovanni to see the archaelogical sites and Roman baths and ancient graffitti we went into the Duomo to see the Cathedral of San Martino and the Illaria del Caretto (tomb of Caretto's 2nd wife). This tomb was done by the famous artist Jacopo. We continued on at this point into the Cathedral Museum.

Baptistry in Lucca:

The altar area:


Inside the archaelogical area of the Baptistry, this mosaic floor dates back to the 1st century:


Ancient Graffitti (and the drawing of what you are seeing):

The Dog on the right hand side:


Cathedral of San Martino:


We next walked by Torre Guinigi (Palace tower) and to Piazza Anfiteatro. This piazza is so amazing, it is a complete 360 degrees around of buildings with just a couple archways to exit. It is very intriguing. It is also a place where they have horse competitions. Here we grabbed a gelato and sat out on the piazza to enjoy. I do have to say that this was the most confusing city we had been to so far, the streets never really joined up and since they were so narrow you couldn't look up to find cathedrals and towers. After we walked by a few more small churches we found our way back to our car.

Piazza Anfiteatro:




Our next stop was going to be Monsummano Terme, a natural thermal spring, but when we got to the town we couldn't actually find it so we just decided to head back to Greve. It was kind of funny though, the Tom Tom was trying to get us on the motorway but the entrance it was trying to use was long gone so we had to take a very long detour. We eventually made it back and were able to do a wine tasting at Vicchiomaggio and then another at Castello di Verrazzano, where we bought some excellent Chianti Classico (mainly so we could get some wine glasses as well).

Afterwards we decided to stop by this wine store in Greve, La Cantina, to see what they had, we knew they did tastings as well. It was actually very interesting the way they have it set up. You buy a card with money on it, how much ever you want to put on it. Then there are these stations with about 20 bottles each hooked up to, and you insert your card, push the button related to the wine you wish to sample, and it spits the wine into your glass and deducts the appropriate amount from your card. That way you can try as few or as many as you want and you don't have to wait on someone to give it to you. Tastings were priced from .60 to over 6.00 each, so depending on what you tried you may be able to sample a few or a lot. We sampled about 6 different wines, we tried to pick ones we hadn't had yet and different ones that were recommended by our book. We didn't buy any though, we already had enough to last us the rest of our trip.

Wine sampling at La Cantina:


We had dinner at Caffe le Logge in Greve, which was pretty good, before doing our daily routine of cards and wine at the apartment. It was very nice to be able to unwind and relax.