Santa Barbara Zoo - Part 2

Have I mentioned we love the Santa Barbara Zoo? Ya, I know I have!  ;-)

We stopped there again on our way back through and re-visited some of the animals we didn't get great photos of, didn't see at all, or wanted to see again. 

Enjoy! 

Monkey business!
(Not great photos but didn't see these guys at all the first time.)

Better photo of one of the condors than last time.

Meerkat

Even a few plant photos this time!

White-faced Saki

Juvenile black-crowned night heron

Snow leopard

Because of the wire fencing and the difficulty focusing the camera over a larger area, I could get a photo of the whole snow leopard. It's hard to capture how impressively long its tail is!

These decorations, throughout the zoo, were starting to be set up when we were there the first time on this trip and were now complete and ready for the "zoo lights" tour and fundraiser starting in a couple of weeks. I bet they look great all lit up at night.

Villas del Santa Niño

Since discovering Villas del Santa Niño, we always stay here when we're in Loreto. It's owned by a lovely local woman, Oralia, who keeps the suites and premises clean and appealing. Additions and improvements are always being made. Since we were last here, a second level has been added to the street-front building and finishing touches are being put on a new swimming pool as I type this. 

Being along a pedestrian street, it's fairly quiet even with the busy malecon a block away and the town square a half block in the other direction. It's easy walking distance to everything we need - grocery store, restaurants, coffee shops and the dive shop. 

Some of the suites are studio, others are 1 or 2 bedroom. All have a kitchen area with a small fridge, stovetop, and all the dishes, pots, etc. that you need. 

We would highly recommend!! 

The "front" building along the pedestrian street.

The back of the "front" building. 

The original building at the back which has a 2-bedroom suite and a 1-bedroom suite.

The end of the "front" building, with stairs leading up to second floor.

The yard area with house and office at the back of the property.

One of the shaded outdoor seating areas and laundry room.

The new swimming pool with hot tub at the far end.

The eagle rays inlaid with tile into the bottom of the pool is a beautiful feature.

Around Loreto

Many random photos around Loreto . . . mostly at sunset and sunrise because the rest of the days are so hot! 

Fishing under a full moon

This arch at the end of the pedestrian street is new since we were here last.

A garbage can with attitude

There is almost always a seagull sitting on the nose of this sea lion statue.
Hence, all the bird poop. 

Doesn't take much of a workout to get sweaty here!

Seems like good advice to me!

Historic Mission Loreto

Dos copas vino tinto, por favor.

At colourful Mi Loreto restaurant

Vegetarian enchiladas with mole sauce and chili relleno with plantains. So good! 

Whale statue near the marina.

Every night is cruise night on the malecón! 

It was festival week for the founding of Loreto so these lighted lanterns
were all along the pedestrian street.

From the restaurant inside the Hotel La Misión.

Delicious smoothie and smoothie bowl at a new little food kiosk we found.

Through the construction zone to get closer to the birds for photos!

Off to work early.

Some beautiful murals.