Week one: Des Moines has it going on

May 16, 2009

Well, I did it. I actually got up early on a Saturday morning when I didn't have to. Then again, I guess in order to fully experience this summer's adventures, I really did have to get up early. Hmmmm ... I'm not sure I thought that through when I scheduled everything. My love for sleeping in may have just got trumped by a need to impress myself.

Anyway, because of previous scheduled activities in Ames, I had to start my Experience Summer fairly local so I began by going to the Downtown Farmers' Market in Des Moines. Now, I have been to the market before, but it's been a few years. I had no need to get there at the crack of dawn to get all the freshest produce (this coming from the girl who is notorious for microwaving frozen Hy-Vee veggies), however the DsM Farmers' Market never fails to impress me, no matter the time of morning or weather. I think part of my "awe" of the market is, quite frankly, the fact that the poor excuses Ames has for farmers' markets depress me. Anyone who knows me knows I like to speak highly of Ames, and not just because I work for the Chamber. However, it's because Ames is so dynamic that it makes me crazy that we can't get our act together and have a decent market, especially when everyone knows it's really just because a few people can't get along.

So, editorial comments aside, the Farmers' Market in Des Moines has everything you'd want from a market and more. Although I made it through without buying anything, I was tempted several times over. I stopped briefly to watch some mime artists and a live band, talked with a gentleman about the care of mini bonsai trees, and was most tempted to buy a $3 bunch of flowers mostly because I felt like the sellers looked like they could use a sale.

I would have spent more time, but, alas, I was on a schedule. I was off to the Blank Park Zoo, but as I got to my car I realized I still had part of a gift card to use for the Downtown Des Moines Association, and it made me wonder if it was valid at the State Historical Building gift shop, which is a lot of fun, so I made a quick stop there. I actually arrived before the gift shop was open, so I got to add an unplanned experience in the day, and that was to go through a couple of the exhibits at the Historical Building, including learning about the Mammoth skeleton and other mammoth remains found in Iowa, and learning about Iowans participation in our World Wars. The point the stood out most to me was the posters rallying stateside Americans to come together to "Buy Bonds," fly flags, or even conserve eggs for the troops. I actually stifled tears thinking about a country that was so unified in the fight for freedom ... and comparing it to the country we live in today that so often seems to not only take that freedom for granted, but throws it in the face of those who continue to fight for an ungrateful nation.

My visit to the historical building was short, and I was soon on my way to Blank Park Zoo. To be honest, I don't know if there's even another zoo in the state, but there's certainly not another one in Central Iowa. I actually like walking through zoos, but I had been previously discouraged from visiting this one since so many people have told me how small it was. Still, I wanted to see it. So I went. The first area I entered was some kind of bird sanctuary with the prettiest little colorful birds I've ever seen. The photos won't do them justice, but I was kind of enamored with them. They weren't in any cages, really. I was right there with them. In fact, one almost flew right in my face as I was trying to take its photo. From there, I found myself in with several aquariums where I saw very freaky jellyfish, and crazy sea horses. For the record, until this day I never knew sea horses actually existed. For as many zoos and aquariums I've been to, I don't ever remember seeing a sea horse. I think I always thought they were like sea monkeys - some kind of gag toy you buy at a store in pellet form and then they 'come alive' when you drop them in water. Guess you can chalk that up to 'city girl' status. They look awfully cartoonish, but they're kind of cute ... and still a bit freaky.

Most of the zoo is outside. There were, of course, many of the "usual suspects" in the zoo; monkeys, lions, zebras, tigers, llamas, and even a couple camels, bald eagles, penguins and sea lions. But the most impressive part was what I saw after entering through a double person-gate. I followed a path and found a rabbit-hutch like box with some birds in it, but before I could figure out what they were, I was confronted with an Emu. And by "confronted" I mean confronted. Like - face to face with an emu. OK - these things weren't locked up. They were just walking along the same path and grass area I was. Is that normal? I mean - apparently it is for the Blank Park Zoo, but it surprised the heck out of me. However, I was also ridiculously impressed. Not only was I right in there with the emus, there were also wallabys and a giant peacock in there. That's crazy.

Clock was ticking, so my time at the zoo was short. I mean, I think I saw about everything, but I maybe would have lingered longer at different animals, but for the most part I think I took it all in. I needed to get back to Ames for a fantastic St. Baldrick's event, where a couple friends were joining with others to shave their heads as a fund-raiser for childhood cancer research. The event at Dublin Bay was packed out, but I was so glad to be there. How cool was it to see about a dozen Ames people (including one beautiful woman!) sacrifice their hair on behalf of someone else who they didn't even know. I will say this, though; in large part, most of the shavees did not sacrifice beauty! In fact, I think some even looked better shaved!

The official start of summer is usually Memorial Day weekend, but weekend one of "Experience Summer" was pretty good. No regrets so far!