A Jungle Park in Paradise, Los Cristianos, Tenerife, The Canary Islands

A large and out of control fire in NE Tenerife (Arafo-Candelaria fire) that started on August 15th cancelled our plans to go to the Mount Teide Observatory.  Road closures, evacuations and low visibility are a cause for concern.  We prayed over the situation, and continued on with our daily lives.  Because it was a last minute email cancellation, we didn't exactly have a Plan B.  Then we did!

Just shy of 20 acres sits a little area in the south called Jungle Park.  With the unusual heat forecast (above 30℃) we thought it would be best to just stay in the shade.  The Jungle Park contains various walks with tunnels, suspension bridges, waterfalls, lagoons, and caves. 

The boys loved watching the monkeys swinging around.  Scott just was trying to figure out why they just didn't run away and be free.  There were no fences or anything.  He kept looking up, trying to figure out how to swing from one tree to the next and then hop on people.  This is how my life is entertained.

There were 3 animal shows.  We arrived at the end of the Bird Show but got to see some really funny birds walking through the crowds.  I wish I had video because it was hilarious.  But we were hastily looking for a ramp to move Enzo into the shade.  (Yes, the shows were out in the hot sun, no bueno for our little boys and Scott)

I don't know which show was the first show in the morning that we missed, and although we saw about the last 5-10 minutes of the bird show, the one we really wanted to see was the sea lion show.  Fortunately there was a restaurant (with real food, not amusement park food) at the top of the seating area of the show tank.  This was perfect because as you know, this mama bear was going to make sure her boys got to see the sea lion show AND be in the shade.  Well, we found a spot.  With Enzo in his chair, no one seemed to mind that we did not eat at the restaurant and yet occupied this great space right in front of the tank.  

The show and the "actors," the sea lions and its trainers, was explained in both Spanish and English.  And of course, these shows are already hard enough to understand when a young girl with a high pitch voice is speaking quickly on into the microphone to squeeze in all sorts of information, jokes and more.  Now imagine the same high pitch girl speaking each and every sentence twice!  Once in Spanish and once in English.  So the theatrics just had to be right for everyone to understand.  I was impressed.  Fortunately I understood both the Spanish and English and was able to translate some of it to Scott while the boys just stared in awe. 

No matter where we walked, there were pops of color everywhere.  There was so much green and lush landscaping that we didn't have to worry about sunscreen and getting overheated.  

I think Scott might finally be getting used to a life of retirement, resorting to silliness and fun with all of us.  

Totem poles and suspension bridges?  Yep!  Even Enzo liked me pushing his special chair through the suspension bridges.  He even liked it when we made the bridge move up and down.  

Enzo's favorite were the crocodiles.  You can view the crocodiles from the top of their habitat or lagoon or you can walk around to a cave.  Once inside the cave, the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees.  With a change of the temperature, a little bit of echo and large windows to see the crocodiles close up, Enzo was in heaven!  Fortunately because Enzo was insistent in remaining in his special chair, I was able to push Enzo out of the cave despite the loud "noooooooooooooo" and the single tear that weld up in his eye.  Poor kiddo would have lived there if he could. 

There were so many paths that we got a little turned around but then found our way back on a path we had not explored and ran into this family who was feeding the emus.  When Eli approached, the emu thought he had food.  Once the emu realized Eli had no food, he quickly went back to the family with the food.  This emu had quite the personality and Eli loved it.  

Just beyond the emu was my favorite part!  The view of south Tenerife was breathtaking.  I think we were overlooking Los Cristianos, but I am not sure.  The breeze, the shade!  All we needed was a picnic.  This, THIS is where the food should be served!  

Maybe 3 hours later we were ready to leave but not before we had to take a picture with the Spanish name for Meerkats.  This is one of Eli's favorite animals.  He loved them at the Colorado Springs Zoo and he just think they are hilarious creatures.  Sure enough we remembered during his Spanish lesson, Eli and his instructor were learning how to say Meerkats in Spanish.  Suricatas!  This is a great little way to sneak in a Spanish lesson as everything had an English translation next to it.  So I'm thinking subconsciously, we all see both the Spanish and English and learn a little while we explore. 

While here, our little cooler bags, one from Sawatch Artisan Foods and one from Publix, have deteriorated to the point of no return.  So we went to a nearby store and bought this little cooler.  Maybe 10 euros?  It was worth it.  The fun part of it all was Eli.  You see, Eli is totally attracted to anything new that isn't his.  Of course!  So he volunteered to carry the little backpack cooler.  He did wear it the entire time we were at the Jungle Park.  Let's see if he will wear it again on another day!  

Is the Jungle Park worth it?  It's a cute little zoo experience.  I think it was a nice alternative to our Mount Teide Observatory cancellation.  There was ample space to move and sit.  I liked that it wasn't crowded and there was a lot of shade.  

I know that the Loro Parque, the zoo that is actually known to be the best zoo in the world, is nearby in Puerto Santa Cruz up in north Tenerife.  We will be going there next month when kids return to school so we don't have to deal with the crowds.  I am glad we went here first.  It's cute and worth checking out if you have time.  If not, then I have been told that Loro Parque is the one too see.  To be continued.....