The Wandering Disciple

A giant panda enjoys his favorite treat, a stack of bamboo. Giant pandas spend much of the day eating bamboo and can eat up to 80 pounds of bamboo a day.  Zoo Atlanta has four giant pandas on display and is currently the only place in the United States to see the giant panda. Giant Pandas are owned by the Chinese government and are on loan to the US. The loans for Memphis, San Diego and Washington DC have expired and the pandas were returned to China. The Atlanta pandas are due to return to China sometime this year.  Taken: December 20, 2014 at Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)

A colorful Taveta Golden Weaver sits in a tree in the aviary at Zoo Atlanta. Found in the African savannah, the Taveta Golden Weaver is a true weaver and makes elaborate nests by weaving together strips of plants. These birds are known to build multiple chamber nests for their colony. In the wild, Taveta Golden Weaver can be found in Eastern Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. (Photo: April 28, 2021)

A youthful Western Lowland Gorilla hangs around at Zoo Atlanta. The zoo is home to one of the largest populations of gorillas in North America. They have five distinct habitats here at the zoo which provide home to the gorilla troops. Since its inception in 1988, the zoo has troops have given birth to twenty-one offspring including a rare set of twins in 2015. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

A White-cheeked Turaco poses for the camera in the Living Treehouse Exhibit at Zoo Atlanta. The exhibit allows you to get close to colorful birds inside the free flight aviary. The attraction is just one of the many at Zoo Atlanta designed to help immerse visitors with wildlife. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

Droplets of rain fall from a colorful flower at Zoo Atlanta. The zoo is known for its wild residents however there is great attention paid to the gardens and flowers planted throughout the zoo. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

A pair of Budgerigars cuddle together in the Boundless Budgies exhibit at Zoo Atlanta. Here zoo visitors can interact and feed the playful Budgerigars. A Budgerigar is a small colorful bird found in Australia. They have become domesticated and are sold in pet stores as Parakeets. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

A young gorilla hangs from the ropes at Zoo Atlanta.  Zoo Atlanta is home to the nation's largest collection of gorillas.  Since 1988, nineteen gorillas have been born at the zoo.  They can be found in different colonies at the 1.5 acre habitat at the Willie B Gorilla Conservation Center, part of the Ford African Rain Forest at Zoo Atlanta. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

Atlanta, Georgia:   In the heart of Atlanta lies a hidden gem, Zoo Atlanta.  The urban zoo packs a serious punch in a little space, making the most of their little chunk of Grant Park.  It is most popular as being one of just four zoos in the nation to house Giant Pandas on loan from the People's Republic of China. A journey to Zoo Atlanta begins in Flamingo Plaza.  The park is laid out fairly easy to navigate, however it can be a little overwhelming looking at the park map.  We chose a left hand pattern and began our tour in the African Plains. The African Plains are home to a pride of African Lions.  They have both a indoor and outdoor viewing area.  During our visit, the lions were best seen from the outdoor area as they were mostly on top of the rock. This area is also home to elephants, rhinos, zebra, giraffes and many more.  However during our trip, there was inclement weather on the horizon so many of the animals were off exhibit. T...

Atlanta, Georgia: We have been planning our summer road trip since early February.  We booked a 4-day, 3 night trip to the Smoky Mountains.  But unfortunately, Mother Nature threw us a curve ball in the form of Tropical Storm Colin.  Rather than cancel, the trip, we decided to head out before the storm and leave town before it came so we were not stuck missing the trip. To make the timeline work out, we had two new days of vacation to fill so we decided to start the trip out with a return to Atlanta.  In addition to the trip expanding, so did our travel party as my mom and nephew came with us on the trip as well. We hit the road bright and early at 3 am.  The weather forecast called for strong storms in the Atlanta area in the afternoon so we figured if we left early enough, we could still get in a good day of exploring. We arrived into Atlanta to a light drizzle but decided to go to Zoo Atlanta anyway.  After our last trip to Atlanta, we decided we...

Concealed in the leaves, a Gaboon Viper lays motionless awaiting its next meal. The viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake and uses its heavy body to strike fast. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

The bright pink color of a Chilean Flamingo adds some life to a dreary winter day at Zoo Atlanta.  Although most people associate the flamingo with the color pink, flamingos are actually born white and get their pink coloration over time.  (Photo: December 20, 2014)

A red panda curls up in a ball to stay warm as he takes an afternoon nap at Zoo Atlanta.  Native to the  eastern Himalayas Mountains and western China, the red panda is one of many species that can be found at Zoo Atlanta.  (Photo: December 20, 2014)

Atlanta, Georgia: Just outside downtown Atlanta lies a lush oasis home to 1,400 wild animals. Zoo Atlanta features 40 acres of habitat home to over 200 species of animals including the Giant Panda. In fact, the zoo is one of only four places in the United States where you can see the Giant Panda. Zoo Atlanta was founded in 1889 by George Gress. He purchased a travelling circus and created a zoo with the circus animals at Grant Park. The zoo continued to expand throughout the years, resulting in the world class venue it is today. The park is broken down into four regions: African Plains, The African Rain Forest, Asian Forest and Kid Zone. The African Plains is the first region you will encounter in the park. Here you will find the elephants, lions, rhinos and a savannah home to giraffes, zebras and Bongos. Next you will enter into the African Rain Forest. The highlight of region is the gorilla exhibit, home to nation’s largest collection of gorillas. Here twenty gorill...

Atlanta, Georgia:   For the past couple years, my family has been asking to see snow.  But having grown up in Pennsylvania, I have seen my far share of it and don't really look forward to being back in the cold again.  But then my wife came across an advertisement for Snow Mountain, just outside of Atlanta.  So I figured it would be the great compromise, they get to see snow and I don't have to deal with the extreme cold.  So we already had off the week of Christmas and I decided to pull the trigger and me it happen. Call it the trip that almost didn't happen.  Thanks to a myriad of set-backs, we finally got situated and on our way.  Earlier this year when we took our trip to Savannah, we had a hiccup at car rental due to a limit on our bank account.  Trying to keep this happening again, I met with our bank Wells Fargo in Venice to ensure there would be no problems.  After Ashley, the banker I met with confirmed that it was a $500 per swi...