One week in Chicago: Animals

I love animals. Not in the way the the guy in the photo to the right does, but I do enjoy seeing exotic animals. That’s why I tend to get pretty giddy when I have the chance to check out a zoo or an aquarium. So, you can imagine how excited I was to visit Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and Lincoln Park Zoo. Why are they so special? Well, the Shedd was once the largest aquarium in the world and remains the most visited aquarium in the United States. And the Lincoln Park Zoo is the largest free zoo in the world.

Between eating and sightseeing, I enjoyed visiting the Shedd and the Lincoln Park Zoo because they provided me with a chance to relax, enjoy some amazing creatures and lose myself in the wonder that is the animal kingdom. When you’re watching sharks and rays swim around a giant saltwater tank, you tend to forget all about how awful that deep dish pizza was.
When I mentioned to friends that I was going back to Chicago once again, without fail they all said that I should finally visit the Shedd Aquarium. I thought it was odd that people would encourage me so strongly to take time out of my sightseeing to visit an aquarium, but once I arrived, it all made sense. While the statue outside the building (see photo above) is a tad odd, it does send the message that the people of Chicago love fish. And respect them, for that matter.

The Shedd Aquarium opened in 1930 and the building was heavily influenced by Greek architecture. It doesn’t lookat all like an aquarium. Instead. it resembles an art museum or government building. But inside it’s all about the animals. You’re immediately greeted by a 90,000 tank reproducing a Caribbean reef. All manner of tropical fish coexist while divers feed the animals and take questions from visitors. That’s what impressed me most about the Shedd. It wasn’t just about displaying these creatures and letting people “ooh” and “ahh.” The staff at the Shedd truly seem to cherish the opportunity to teach people about the animals and to respect them, as well. I sat with a Shedd employee for 10 minutes as he showed me a rather large tarantula. He patiently answered my questions and assuaged any fears I had that such a creature would one day kill and eat me.

The Shedd’s Oceanarium is the largest indoor marine mammal facility in the world. Sadly, it was closed for renovations when I visited. However, when it reopens later this summer, it will once again feature beluga whales, dolphins and sea otters.

I found myself near Lincoln Park late on a warm afternoon and, on a whim, decided to go to the zoo that I’d heard so much about. I’ve long been a sucker for zoos. Ever since, as a child, I went to the Bronx Zoo and rode an elephant, I’ve found zoos to be magical places. So when I heard that the Lincoln Park Zoo was not only amazing but free, I knew I had to spend a few hours there. I spent nearly an hour in just the ape and monkey houses marveling at how these amazing creatures swing through trees, interact with one another and hamming it up for visitors. Children frolicked throughout the zoo eating popcorn, snapping photos and giggling at how long a giraffe’s tongue is.

There’s something simple and endearing about a good zoo. It allows a domestic trip to become more international. It turns your afternoon into a safari. It transports you to back to your childhood and to different places in the world. The Lincoln Park Zoo is a vast collection of animals that is well organized, professionally run and, well, free! It’s a must-see for anyone visiting Chicago with children. But if you’re a single 30-year-old writer traveling alone, you’ll enjoy it too.

Read all about my Chicago food adventures here and some of the best sights to visit in the Windy City here.

Swim with sharks at Dubai mall

Dubai just changed how we’ll all look at malls forever. The Dubai Mall could have changed the rules simply by installing an aquarium and zoo … or gone even crazier by putting sharks in the water. Hell, watching sharks swim is a great way to eat your Auntie Ann’s pretzel. In Dubai, you can have your friend hold your pretzel while you put on a wetsuit and hop right in!

At the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo within the mall, visitors can slide into a 10 million-liter tank with sand tiger sharks, reef sharks and leopard sharks – not to mention giant groupers and stingrays.

Certified divers can arrive at the mall an hour before the dive (which lasts 20 – 30 minutes), while non-certified divers need to take a SCUBA course (noon on Thursday or Saturday). Certified divers will need to spend $225, with $300 for those who aren’t certified.

Undiscovered New York: Beyond Central Park

Welcome back to Undiscovered New York. This week we’ll be taking a look at some of New York’s most famous public spaces – its parks. First time visitors are sure to spend a few hours getting to know New York’s most famous greenspace, Central Park. After all, this massive outdoor space tends to dominate both the geography and collective imagination of our city’s residents. And frankly, with all that Central Park has to offer, including a zoo, Shakespeare and ice skating in the winter, it’s not a bad place to start.

Yet Central Park is just the tip of the iceberg. If you truly want to understand New York, you could do worse than spending some time at the city’s many parks. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation maintains more than 1,700 public spaces set across all 5 of the city’s boroughs. And while they might not be as well-known as Central Park, New York’s parks are as diverse as the residents that come to visit them, boasting their own unique amenities and personality.

Want to enjoy one of New York’s best hamburgers al fresco? How about spending the afternoon at a beautiful recreation of a medieval monastery? Or perhaps a $3 rock concert is more up your alley?

Click on through below as Gadling takes a closer look at some of New York City’s lesser known public parks and presents you with a list of some of our favorites.
Park One: Fort Tryon and The Cloisters
Way up at the very top of Manhattan, the city’s typically dense urban grid begins to fade away. Expansive panoramas of the Hudson River open to view, and the city’s streets are increasingly punctuated by large clusters of trees. It’s right about then, around 190th Street, where you’ll come upon the urban oasis of Fort Tryon Park.

This former site of a Revolutionary War Battle now boasts a pleasant outdoor space with some of the best views you’ll find anywhere in Manhattan. But the best reason to make the trek up to Fort Tryon is for The Cloisters, an annex of the Metropolitan Musuem of Art that is home to thousands of priceless works. Even if you don’t like old tapestries, it’s a pleasant place to spend an afternoon strolling the site’s well-maintained grounds.

Park Two: Madison Square Park
Located in New York’s Flatiron District, Madison Square Park is probably one of our favorite parks in Manhattan. Though it tends to attract less attention than its better known park neighbors like Bryant Park and Central Park, Madison Square Park holds its own for several reasons. Most importantly, the park is surrounded on all sides by some of the city’s most beautiful historic architecture, including the graceful Flatiron Building and the soaring Met Life Tower.

While you’re busy drinking in the facades of these two majestic buildings, make sure to grab a milkshake and a burger at Shake Shack, located in a modern stainless steel building within the park’s confines. The business is run by New York restauranteur Danny Meyer, and the Shack’s reputation for great burgers ensures there’s always a healthy line standing outside throughout the year.

Park Three: Empire Fulton Ferry State Park
One of the most prominent architectural features of New York is its many bridges. These massive structures strut across the city’s landmass like steel and concrete monsters, dominating the views in all directions.

In the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO, you’ll find one of the best places to get a bird’s eye view of these enormous feats of engineering. The Empire Fulton Ferry State Park sits directly beneath both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, making for one of the more unique New York park-going experiences. In addition to a number of walking paths along the East River, the site backs up against several huge 19th Century warehouses and the ancient structure of a former ferry terminal that once moved New Yorkers between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Park Four: Prospect Park
If Central Park were to have a twin sibling, it would have to be Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Sitting on almost 600 acres smack dab in the middle of the borough of Brooklyn, Prospect Park is truly the green heart of this historic section of the city. Boasting an antique boathouse, its own zoo and enormous 90 acre Long Meadow, Prospect Park is truly a green gem for the citizens of New York.

Once you’ve had a chance to paddle around the lake and check out some animals at the zoo, make sure to stop by Prospect Park’s bandshell during the summer months for free concerts featuring some great up-and-coming rock bands.

Phew! We’ve taken you past four of New York’s best lesser known parks and we’re barely even started. We didn’t even have a chance to talk about other great parks like the Bronx Botanic Gardens or the enormous Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, home of the National Tennis Center and Citi Field. Did we miss out on your favorite New York City park? Leave us a comment below and tell us some your own picks.

Photo of the Day (10.19.08)

Was your week a blur like mine was? I think this photo, by Flickr user JasonBechtel, is an apt photographic metaphor. Doesn’t it just “feel” fast? I love the sense of movement and the way the background blurs while parts of the cheetah’s body stay in focus. You might also think Jason took his cheetah photo on safari in Africa, right? Wrong. It was actually taken at the Cincinnati Zoo. Just goes to show you needn’t go far from home to get some great photos.

Have any great travel photos you’d like to share with the world? Why not add them to the Gadling photo pool on Flickr? We might just choose it as our Photo of the Day.

Only in OZ: Irwin’s Whale Watching Boat

Visitors to Queensland, Australia will soon be able to sign up for whale watching trips aboard a new boat named in honor of Steve Irwin. The Australia Zoo’s latest venture will depart from Mooloolaba Wharf on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast beginning July 1st.

Steve’s Whale One vessel was named by Irwin’s kids, Bob and Bindi, as a tribute to their dad. The 130-seat boat will offer 360-degree views from large observation decks around the ship, educational talks by on-board biologists and an underwater hydrophone so passengers can hear whale songs.

At yesterday’s dedication, Terri Irwin revealed that it was Steve’s dream “…to be a full-on warrior for whales, to tackle the Japanese harpoons head on.” These educational excursions realize his vision and serve as the latest “weapon” in whale conservation.