"Lions, Tigers, Bears--Fireworks!"

"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not." -Uncle Iroh

My friends told me about a bus in Tokyo

that took them through a den of lions.

I wanted to give it a go.

Tokyo's a bit far,

so I settled for the safari bus in Himeji.

Two words:

Gorgeous.

Expensive.

But the animals were so close to my camera,

and so friendly to the little Japanese children,

I kinda was okay with paying

¥3,700 for the whole thing.

This goose loved

my Aussie friend Vera so much,

it honked goose tears

when she ran away to chase a chicken.

You could throw food down at these bears,

and they'd stand on their back paws to catch it.

White tiger love.

暑い〜！

The thinking chimp.

Aw, Vera made a friend. ♥

After the zoo,

we went to the pond near my school,

said "hello" to my bashful students,

and watched fireworks.

A fantastic weekend with fantastic people.

{Music via Cee Lo Green}