Eye in eye with a roaring lion....

... and being licked by a blue tongue of an Giraffe, that is what we experienced recently.

We have some friends staying with us from Abu Dhabi and we went to the Lion Park last week. It is only 20 minutes from our home and you can come really close... and I mean REALLY close to the animals. So close that you come cheek to cheek with a giraffe... so close that you can touch its BLUE tongue. So close that you can feel the course hair of a Lion baby cub, so close that you can touch the feathers of an ostrich. Which is all SO FUN but also a bit scary!! Look at the faces of the kids and you see it all!

They are a bit scared but also fascinated by it all.... like kids feel the way towards Santa Claus... a bit scary, but want to go closer and sit on his lap...

The Lion Park is home to more than 85 Lions including rare White Lions, and many other carnivores such as Cheetah, Wild dog, Hyenas and a variety of Antelope indigenous to Africa. The White Lions that live here were used in the movie the White Lion. Home is a journey., if you haven't seen this one, go and rent it at your local store or buy it on DVD it is such a great movie for children and adults!! I had taped it, so the kids could see it after our visit to the Lion Park. And we just recognized our new made friends Letsatsi and Nkulu :-)
White Lion was nominated and won at the SAFTA Awards for Best Cinematography /DOP in a feature film. Best Music Composition in a feature film and Best Sound Design in a feature film.



A fun day we had, living our lives here in South Africa brings the kids so much closer to animals that they can't really experience anywhere else. Not like this, free in the wild. I mean here they are not free free, but also not in a cage, they roam around in this huge park and we can touch them, feed them, hug them even if you dare... but none of us dared!!

First we are off to pet the lion cubs, the kids were all so excited to see and touch them. We only petted them but you could hold them or sometimes even play with them, but today was a bit busy so we only had 5 minutes...









Then off to the Giraffe, he is so sweet but big. And when his face comes this close to my camera I am afraid that he will knock it out of my hands with his giant tongue!!



Look how huge his face is compared to Nick!



The kids love love to feed him, but Jezz got touched by his tongue I think by looking at her face... LOL



See how he curls his lips to eat as much as possible....





Then Lavul is going first to feed the Ostriches...



look at the faces of the kids... too funny!!



Nick went next, but JJ wants to try as well...



Here she goes.... Jezz is cupping her hand as well... in support! :-)



Ouch... he bit my finger!! But he has NO teeth!! So it is not too bad...



Look at Vicky.. she has the food in her hands... wants to try, but it too scared!! The excitement of the kids was just fabulous to see!!



While the kids are feeding the ostriches I come face to face and take this picture, the ostrich doesn't even mind me being that close, he is not interested in ME. He wants the FOOD!! He just had to turn his face and he could touch or pick my camera... but he didn't... pfew, I must say I was a bit nervous!! These animals can be vicious!!



Off to the Giraffe again, I want them close so I can take a picture, but look at them, all a bit wary....



But this gentle giant doesn't do anything, he just wants your food and lick your face if he gets the chance... LOL



Vicky gives him a pat on the neck, he is so sweet!



Nick gives him some pellets and JJ is getting away from his swaying neck...



Jezz stays a bit in the back row.. which is unusual! Normally she is the one who wants to touch and play with the animals, but today she was a bit careful. She loves the little creepers more I guess... These are too big for her!
Look at that huge tongue!



Lavul and Vicky are now more at ease to come closer to take a good picture. So much fun to be that close!!



The park is huge so now we are going to drive around to see all the other animals and the Lion, Wild Dog and Cheetah enclosure, but first we have a glimpse on the adult lions. Taking a nap all cosy together....



There are all kind of antelopes here in the park, this one is a male Blesbok.



Young Impala males.



Then we drive into the Lion enclosure. So the lions are wandering around freely here and you can drive with your car as close as you feel comfortable. Then you open your window and take pictures. Today they were lazy and just laying around, but I have been here before where the lionesses were attacking cars and ripping of the mirror of a car in front of us. The girls remembered this vividly and were so happy that today it was a lazy day....

The daddy...



The mommy....



and the baby.... so cute!!



And here a family together.



Our friend Letsatsi the White Lion, he is a giant!



And so beautiful!! But when he roars, you can feel it in the pit of your stomach!



In another enclosure we drive through we see wild dogs, these are very rare these days. African Wild Dogs are very social animals that live in packs of 5-20 individuals. These dogs are similar in size and shape to medium-large domestic dogs, but they are only distantly related to other canids.





And 2 cheetahs taking a nap and sometimes looking up at us, but not really bothered by our car that is driving by...



The cheetah is the one with the black crying mark in the face, I always mix them up with the leopard. Easy to remember now... C of Cheetah, C of crying mark, now I should not forget anymore :-)



Quite some celebs come to visit the Lion Park, its so much fun. See this link here, recently Shakira and Nathalie Portman were here. But also Clint Eastwood, Chris Daughtry and John Legend to name a few.

Shakira was here last year during the World Cup Soccer and she visited the Lion Park. She sang the official song of the FIFA World Cup 2010.





What a great time to live in AFRICA!!
Mireille xx