Baluarte ni Chavit

#traveltuesday

Because I had so much fun during this trip, I will dedicate one blog entry for this special zoo found in Vigan, Ilocos Sur which is owned by ex-governor Chavit Singson.  It's been a while since I last visited a proper zoo (maybe I was 6 or 7, lol!) and I simply love animals.  The diversity of wildlife here and the personal encounter with them is just sooo unforgettable. :))  And the best thing about being here is, it is for FREE! :D

Upon arrival at the place, you are greeted by the options to a photo-ops session with the birds or a ride using the "tiburin", a small horse-drawn carriage.  I had to pick the print of the native horse that will take us round the desert-like terrain for more animal viewing.  This is him:

a native horse in Ilocos

O diba si kuya sumama talaga sa picture with Leq! :))

I was just reading up on the website of this attraction and I'm impressed with their educational mission and on animal conservation.  We missed the live animal show since along the way we got distracted with photo-ops with different creatures.  One of them was this ostrich...Hahaha, so amusing!!!  You just can't explain that joy of watching and observing rare breed of animals like this.  It made me wish my nephew were with me during the trip.

As always the main highlight would have to be seeing Chavit's Siberian Bengal Tiger.  How often have I seen him featured in TV with these pets?  Didn't help that I just finished Life of Pi (movie flight on my way home from KL) on that same month.  Awww, Richard Parker.  I love furry animals, I just wish they aren't... WILD you know.  Just wanna hug them like how I do with my now full-grown Siberian husky Vladimir (please like his page, hehe! :P).  But as per my experience, the mere act of him yawning already sends me one step further away from him.  Hahaha!!! Scared much?  

The only time I stepped a teeny weeny closer to it was when I was already with the group.  Haha!  Gosh, look how bored he was in this photo.  LOL!

We also checked out the butterfly farm and more rare reptiles/ mammals in the area. We didn't linger that much since we still had a lot of places to visit.  In the website, I saw a photo of a white peacock and a camel (???)!  Wow, it would've been such a thrill to see those.  For my last photo, I leave you with this image of mine with a cockatoo.  Haha!  That look on my face! :))