Movie Review: Someone Behind the Door (1971)

Someone Behind the Door (1971) co-written and directed by Nicolas Gessner

An incoherent man (Charles Bronson) is brought to an English hospital. The neurosurgeon about to leave his shift (Anthony Perkins) takes a look at him and decides to take him home. The man has amnesia and the doctor slowly draws details out of him about his life. The doctor also seems to be shoehorning in some details that don't quite fit. The doctor has a wife who is about to leave him for someone else, so maybe he's under a lot of stress...or maybe he's got some other scheme going?

The movie starts slowly and it's hard to tell what's going on. Bronson does a good job as the confused and volatile amnesiac (his character never gets a name, even in the credits). Perkins does his usual level-headed but slightly creepy routine. The plot does not always make sense but it is enjoyable enough for a low-key thriller.

Mildly recommended.

Book Review: The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton

The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton

Classical scholar Edith Hamilton writes this panegyric to Ancient Greece, the land of city-states that was able to come together under the leadership of Athens and conquer the invading Persians. She describes the Greek culture in detail, looking at historians like Herodotus and Thcuydides, playwrights like Aeschylus and Sophocles, and philosophers like Socrates and Plato. She compares them both to what came before and what came after, showing the greatness of Greek thinking and understanding. She presents a lot of arguments showing their love of human perfection (seen in their art, especially sculpture) and human knowing (which moved on from superstitious assumptions about reality to insights on the true nature of things). Their love of freedom gave them the strength to overcome massive odds, both in war and in the cultural development. She esteems them quite highly over the Eastern cultures of their time and the modern cultures of our time.

Unfortunately, the author writes in such glowing terms that it is very hard to go along with her thesis. Certainly Ancient Greece provided a turning point in Western culture and has had an on-going impact. The authors mentioned above are well worth studying, but surely there have been others who have equaled or surpassed them in the two thousand five hundred years since their time.

I enjoyed reading the book, Hamilton writes well and knows a lot. But I am not quite convinced by it.

Mildly recommended--this is a great overview of the Greek contribution to Western Civilization, if it is a bit overblown.

TV Review: Andor (2022)

Andor (2022) created by Tony Gilroy based on Star Wars by George Lucas 

In this prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is a down-and-out guy on an obscure planet that is more or less comfortable under the heel of the Galactic Empire. He does some black-market deals and winds up killing some Imperials who stumble onto his trail, bringing the wrath of the Empire down on the planet. At the same time, he is recruited by Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard), a shadowy figure who wants to fight back against the Imperial Government. Andor reluctantly joins Luthen's latest plot--a plan to steal millions from the government when raiding a payroll stockpile. Nothing quite goes according to plan, forcing Andor to make some tough decisions and decide where his future really lies.

While the plot focused on Andor is central and fascinating, there's a lot of other stories going on around it. The Empire's secret intelligence agency reacts to various rebellious activities with interesting political intrigue among the agency higher ups. One of them, Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), seems to be following the right leads but others on the agency are wary of her working outside of protocols to get things done. Another very intriguing plot line involves Imperial officer Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) who tried to catch Andor for the initial killings; he loses his job but the story keeps following his downfall. He loses his job, moves back home with his overbearing mother, and gets a bureaucratic job, all the while hoping to prove he was right. On the capital world of Coruscant, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) works with the Imperial Senate and with Luthen, hoping to get the rebels advanced enough to become the Rebellion.

The overall plotting and characters are very interesting and not the same old space opera of the Skywalker storyline. This show feels fresh and mature, with new ideas and exploring new corners of the Star Wars. Cassian Andor's origin story is well-told and I am looking forward to more. Or at least, rewatching Rogue One.

Recommended, highly for Star Wars fans.

Book Review: One-Punch Man Vol. 11 by One et al.

One-Punch Man Volume 11 story by One and art by Yusuke Murata

The story breaks into several plotlines: Saitama fighting in the martial arts tournament, Metal Bat fighting Centichoro (a gigantic, intelligent centipede), and monsters attacking various cities. Saitama's storyline is mostly played for jokes while Metal Bat has to fight above his hero rank and face off against hero-hunter Garo while exhausted from the centipede battle. A random assortment of monsters and villains show up in other cities and wreak havoc, causing the Hero Association to panic. 

I was extremely disappointed in this issue because of one of the villains, Monster Princess Super S. She is "dressed" in S&M straps and wields a whip that forces other to become her love slaves. This is the stuff that gives manga a bad reputation and is completely unacceptable. I don't want my kids seeing this; I don't want to see it either. Treating women like sex objects, even in a joking way, is unacceptable (even if the woman herself choses to be treated or treat others that way).

Not recommended at all.

Movie Review: Cold Sweat (1970)

Cold Sweat (1970) directed by Terence Young

Ex-soldier Joe Martin (Charles Bronson) makes is living chartering his boat on the French Mediterranean. His past catches up with him when a guy named Vermont shows up at his home and wants him to help with a smuggling operation. Joe was in a German jail with Vermont and a bunch of other guys--they broke out together but Joe left them behind when they killed a local cop. The other guys show up, led by the Captain (James Mason). To get Joe's cooperation, they kidnap Joe's wife and daughter (Liv Ullmann and Yannick Delulle). A cat-and-mouse thriller ensues as Joe tries to get himself out of the predicament and the bad guys try to get him to do what they want.

The movie moves a bit slow, even with a director who is a veteran from early James Bond films. The plot is very simple without any big surprises. The locations are picturesque with a fantastic car chase on the mountain roads. Bronson is okay though he does not have as much action as I was expecting. Mason makes a good villain but the rest of the cast is so-so. The very end is a bit unsatisfying.

Mildly recommended--this is for Charles Bronson fans only.

Alpha Geocaching Winter 2023

Another set of alphabet caches showed up on the map so I went to find Alphabet O (Old) - Redux in Gorman Park. The entrance to the park is an easement between two houses on a cul-de-sac, not the most obvious trail head. At least they are not hiding power converters, right?

Hidden by a shrubbery

On the trail in the park

The find was not hard with the trail so well marked.

We had an unseasonably warm day in February, so I went back to the park to pick up more of this Redux set. Alphabet N (New) - Redux is near the O cache but across a small stream. I made the find very quickly and had an enjoyable crossing.

View from the cache

If I was a shadowwalker, I could cross the shadow bridge

Not much further down the hilly trail system is Alphabet P (Placed) - Redux. Once I had the right angle on the cache, it was very easy to spot. The "P" could easily stand for something else for this cache!

That same stream again

Getting to Alphabet Q (Quick) - Redux is not as quick as the name says. The hike to it from P took a little while and went through some very "barely there" trails on the hillside/cliff looking down to the river. The hiding spot seemed obvious but it was far enough off the trail to be safe from muggles.

View of thorns from the cache

I made some calculations for the R cache but it was more accessible from a different park entrance, so I left that for another day. On the way back to the car I saw a strange rock and branch formation.

What caused this?

The next day I went to the other entrance and had a pleasant hike to Alphabet R (Root) - Redux. The weather was perfect and the hide was easy to find.

View from the cache

I started working on the Redux series E-F-G-H-I. This series is trickier because all of the caches are mystery caches. One or more of them is not at the coordinates listed on geocaching.com. Finders need numbers from the other caches to calculate the location of the false caches. I went for H and I since they were close to each other. Alphabet H (Hanging) - Redux was an easy find off the walking path system in Columbia, Maryland.

The stream nearby

The I-cache I could not find, so I suspected it was the actual mystery cache. I had a little more time to run around, so I drove over to where the E-cache was but could not make the find there either! I sent an email to the cache owner. He verified some information, so I started searching again.

The next search was for the other letters. I found Alphabet F (Fallen) - Redux not too far off the path.

Among all those branches and things

Further into the same woods is Alphabet G (Ground) - Redux. The hike in was a bit challenging with the underbrush and a long downward slope. The cache was in good shape and I had a more strenuous trip back since the slope was upward.

Less cover for a cache, more distant from muggle eyes

I was able to calculate the coordinates of one of the other caches but did not get to it before winter ended.

Back on the original series, I found Alphabet_G (Ground) behind some fallen logs. Really big fallen logs! There was a nice beach back there where the kids threw stones into the river.

Treacherous terrain!

Alphabet-F (Five) was up the hill on the other side, a much more challenging bushwhack.

Someone should clean up this mess!

The kids were done with caching for that day, so we headed back to the car. I was amazed at this tree that looks like it was pulled in half from the bottom.

How is that staying there?

Another day I returned to the trail to look for more of the original caches. Alphabet-E (Evergreen) is no longer hidden in an evergreen tree but still was easy to find.

A typical forrest view

On the way to Alphabet-H (Hole), I saw a massive obstruction on the trail. It was easy to traverse. I am sure the kids would have loved getting around such an obstacle.

You shall not pass!

The cache is located in a rocky part of the forrest, not a feature usually associated with the woods.

Atypical forrest view

With that find, I had all I needed to calculate the location of the I-cache, which also did not happen before the vernal equinox. I will be sure to wrap up these two sets early in the spring! The S-T-U-V Redux set was just posted and I still have W-X-Y-Z to start.

Alpha series completed this winter:

N-O-P-Q-R Redux

 E-F-G-H-I, but not I

 E-F-G-H-I Redux, but not E or I

Previously completed:

A-B-C-D (and the Redux)--see this post

J-K-L-M (and the Redux)--see this post

N-O-P-Q-R--see this post

S-T-U-V--see this post

Book Review: Northumberland Folk Tales by Rosalind Kerven

Northumberland Folk Tales by Rosalind Kerven

This delightful and short collection has tales from Northumbria, the region of England north of the Umber River and south of Scotland. The tales have many familiar elements--dragons, knights, witches, royalty (both human and fairy), ghosts, and so on. A couple of the stories had so many familiar motifs that they read like I had read them before. The collection is engaging and well-written. The author adapted the stories from other sources of regional folklore and does a great job with them. 

When I went to put it on my shelf, I saw I did read a collection from Rosalind Kerven before!

Recommended.

Book Review: Shuna's Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Shuna's Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Before co-founding Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki worked as an animator at other studios and wrote manga. One project that didn't find a home in animation or manga is Shuna's Journey. Miyazaki wrote and illustrated this story based on a Tibetan myth of how barley was introduced to the country. Shuna is a prince of a nation that's constantly hungry. Their grain does not grow well enough to feed everyone. Shuna goes in search of a golden grain that is supposed to grow abundantly. The elders do not want him to leave but he goes anyway. On his travels, he has many odd adventures. He comes to a city where the main commerce is slave trade. He tries to free two girls but is rebuffed by the slave trader. Later, outside of the city, Shuna catches up with the slave wagon that's carted off the girls. He frees them and they travel west with him to the land of the gods, where the mythical grain is supposed to be in abundance. They arrive at the shore with the island of the gods in the distance. Their pack animal cannot continue and the girls are weary of traveling. They split up--the girls ride north and promise to wait for Shuna while he finds a way to the island.

So many elements recommend this book. The story is enchanting with its mythic past setting and Shuna's noble purpose--to help his people by making a great discovery after a long journey. Miyazaki's whimsy and creativity are on full display. The art is beautiful watercolors, often with full page images. Miyazaki does a good job conveying the story and the emotions without relying on dialogue or commentary. I liked the story a lot.

Recommended.

TV Review: Kleo (2022)

Kleo (2022) created by Hanno Hackford, Bob Konrad, and Richard Kropf

Kleo (Jella Haase) is an East German Stasi assassin who goes on a kill in 1987 at a West German nightclub. The hit goes fine except when she returns, she is accused of betraying her country. She was just pregnant and planning on cutting back on her deadly lifestyle. Jail is too much of a cut-back, especially when none of her friends, comrades, or family do anything to stop the sentence. Her grandfather is a high-level Stasi officer and her boyfriend is her handler. Both fail to do anything to protect her from imprisonment. In jail, she loses the baby. A few years pass and the Berlin Wall falls. She is summarily released. She goes back to her grandfather and tries to find out what happened. Kleo starts a murder-filled revenge spree in the newly united Germany.

While the show has a lot of action and drama, it seems primarily to be a comedy. The serious and heart-breaking premise shifts into an absurdist near-farce. A West German police officer, while off-duty, was at the nightclub and is sure the death was not an accident but a killing. He is obsessed with the case even though he works in Fraud, not Homicide. His boss is barely tolerant of him and his partner pokes fun at him a lot. He's more like an annoyance than a nemesis to Kleo, though eventually they wind up working together. Kleo gets a weird roommate who thinks he's from another planet and can only return to his space princess if he creates a groovy nightclub. Kleo's boyfriend is now married with a very pregnant wife who is a bit jealous and mistrustful. Kleo shows up at their apartment and pretends to be a maintenance worker but really is interested in getting information from her ex. A lot of comedy and action follows, including trips to other countries where Stasi leaders have fled. The conspiracy gets broader and less plausible as the series concludes but the show is so bizarrely entertaining that it's hard to look away.

Recommended, though it is not for kids. Also, it is a German production, so there's lots of subtitles to read.

As this is published (March 2023), the show is only available streaming on Netflix.

Movie Review: The Bat (1959)

The Bat (1959) written and directed by Crane Wilbur

Crime novelist Cornelia van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead) rents an old house called "The Oaks" for the summer. It's owned by local banker John Fleming (Harvey Stephens) who is out hunting for an extended period with a doctor friend (Vincent Price). Lots of rumors and history mark the house as one where tragedy happens. In the last year, a killer known as "The Bat" committed murders there. As a writer of murder mysteries, van Gorder is nonplussed. Her staff from the city are less aloof and most of them leave her after a day or two. They heard noises and saw a faceless man wandering the back stairs. All she has left is her chauffeur and her lady's maid.

In town, the bankers have discovered that the vault has been robbed of a million dollars in securities. The only ones with access are Fleming and Victor Bailey (Mike Steele), the assistant manager. Victor is chucked in jail. Meanwhile, Fleming and the doctor have a conversation in their isolated cabin. Fleming did steal the money and has hidden it. He wants the doctor to return to town with a mangled corpse that he will pretend is Fleming's dead body. Now that Fleming has revealed his plan, the doctor needs to play along or get shot. One of them returns to town and gets pulled into the investigation at "The Oaks," where The Bat has returned and is back to his old tricks.

The premise is interesting and the actors do a good job with their roles, throwing suspicion around on just about everybody. The story itself is a little bit too convoluted and occasional bits of dialog don't make sense, turning the tension into confusion (and not the good kind of confusion). It's a fun movie, but not as fun as I was hoping for. It's a standard B-movie thriller with a couple of surprises but nothing outstanding.

Mildly recommended.

Book Review: Unsettled by Steven E. Koonin

Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, and Why It Matters by Steven E. Koonin

A major hot-button topic in our culture is what to do as the Earth's climate changes. Alarmists and deniers give reactions from the far ends of the spectrum. The knowledge of how the climate is shifting and what impact human actions have had is growing and showing how complex the system is. The news media in general favors the alarmists, if for no other reason than panic-inducing headlines get more readership or followers than "everything is okay" messages. The issue has become important through the sheer weight it is given. But is that weight really there?

Steven Koonin has a doctorate in theoretical physics from MIT and taught that at Caltech for thirty years. He became a scientific advisor for British Petroleum and later for the Obama Administration's Department of Energy. He spent decades researching climate science on the national and international level. His approach is to look at all of the science, actually reading reports issued by government agencies and other entities to understand their conclusions and how they came to them. He also looks at historical data about weather and climate activities. The results are eye-opening thanks to his intelligent understanding of the models and the data he has found. So many factors are involved in how climate develops, from the absorption of solar radiation to natural and man-made production of carbon dioxide to the production and consumption of energy in developed and developing countries. The climate system of the Earth is very complex and operates on a much higher level, i.e. decades and centuries, than is often looked at in popular culture, where news, entertainment, and scientific reporting look at the latest disaster and claim it's part of a big problem that needs solving. Certainly the climate is changing but realistic understandings of that change and how much we can alter our impact (and how significant that impact really is) is key to a reasonable response.

This book is written for general readership, covering the wide variety of topics in accessible ways. It has plenty of charts and scientific data to back up its claims  but not in overwhelming amounts. Koonin has spent a lot of time researching and thinking about all the different components of this topic. He presents information for the majority of the book, giving his recommendations for how to move forward in climate management only in his conclusion. His clear intent is to have a more thoroughly thought out and truly global understanding of the Earth's climate. This topic is deep and difficult and requires more information than comes from the internet or contemporary news coverage. This book is a valuable resource to be informed rather than indoctrinated.

Recommended.

Book Review: B.P.R.D. Omnibus Vol. 1 by M. Mignola et al.

B.P.R.D. Omnibus Volume 1 stories by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Geoff Johns, and others; art by Mike Mignola, Guy Davis, Cameron Stewart, and others; letters by Clem Robins, Michelle Madsen, and others

A series of stories featuring the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, the place where Hellboy grew up and worked for years (though he is no longer with them in these stories).

The Hollow Earth--Liz Sherman has been gone from B.P.R.D. Headquarters for a couple of years. She wanted to learn to control her powers and wandered off to a snowy monastery. But now she's in trouble and has sent a pyschic distress signal to Abe Sapien. He rushes off to find her just as he and Roger the Homunculus are considering leaving the B.P.R.D. They are joined in the snowy search by Kate Corrigan and the Bureau's newest addition, Johann Krauss, a disembodied medium who travels in an old-fashioned diver's suit. They find the monastery in ruins with a weird passage into the middle of the Earth. The adventure is interesting and Mignola's art looks great.

Abe Sapien Vs Science--Roger the Homunculus is seemingly dead and all efforts by the B.P.R.D. scientists have failed to revive him. Well, maybe not all efforts. They plan to switch over to autopsy to learn more about how Roger was made but go for a cigarette break. Abe slips in and saves the day. It's a poignant little tale that I like a lot.

Drums of the Dead--A shipping line is plagued by sharks, which is not so bad. Their real problem is when their crews hear drums in the middle of the ocean. Invariably, one or more crew members start speaking in a strange language, attack the other crew members, and jump overboard. The B.P.R.D. is called and Abe Sapien comes with a new agent (a psychic) to investigate. The story has a good blend of horror and history, making it a very good read.

The Soul of Venice--The B.P.R.D. team is dispatched to Venice, where the pipes are exploding and the water is disgusting. The supernatural cause is not immediately obvious but does stem from the ancient Roman roots of the town (as in Roman gods). The story has some good twists though it is a fair standard adventure.

Dark Waters--A Massachusetts town that's not Salem (which is nearby) is draining the town square pond, only to discover three perfectly preserved women in shackles at the bottom. They are dead but their memory brings out the worst in a few of the town folk. The B.P.R.D. is called in and they help to resolve the situation through smarts and heart.

Night Train--Roger and Liz go to investigate a spooky train that has been terrorizing a neighborhood in the American South. The story starts with a Lobster Johnson adventure about a train wrecked by a Nazi in the American Southwest. Are the stories related? Obviously, though I found the ending tried to cram in too much stuff, making it feel rushed and choppy. They need some more pages of exposition and action!

There's Something Under My Bed--Kids are being abducted from a small town in the middle of the night after complaining about "a monster under the bed." The team comes in to investigate, though Abe Sapien, being a fish man, is not so enthusiastic about kids dealing with monsters. The story makes some good points about the difference between being a monster and acting monstrously. It's also a fun tale that resolves well for all.

Another Day at the Office--Abe and Johann investigate a zombie outbreak in an Eastern European city. As the title suggests, this story is a typical adventure for the gang. It's short and works well.

Plague of Frogs--A long, ongoing storyline starts here as the team discovers and then fights an outbreak of a fungus that turns humans in to frog-like humanoids. The story is creepy and delves into Abe Sapien's past, since he's got a bit of the amphibian in him too. Guy Davis is the artist and his style became the template for the B.P.R.D. stories. It looks a bit more like regular comic books (as opposed to the stark visuals from Mignola) and works well.

This is a very entertaining collection, providing a lot of different stories that show the characters and the world they live in. Even though there is plenty of references to previous storylines, they are easy to follow and help newcomers get up to speed.

Highly recommended.

TV Review: Doctor Who: Revenge of the Cybermen (1975)

Doctor Who: Revenge of the Cybermen (1975) written by Gerry Davis and directed by Michael E. Briant

Fourth Doctor Tom Baker and his companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) have returned to the Ark in Space to pick up the TARDIS, only to find themselves thousands of years before their last visit. At this point, the Ark is a space beacon guiding ships through the solar system. But a plague has broken out, leaving a handful of crew and one scientist, Kellerman (Jeremy Wilkin). Kellermen is interested in an asteroid nearby that is really the home of the Voga, a race of beings once at war with the Cybermen. Their asteroid is called the "planet of gold" because it is basically a chunk of gold ore floating in space. Gold is a weakness of the Cybermen--if their suits are contaminated they die quickly. Naturally, the Cyberman want to destroy Voga. The Vogans naturally don't want to die. Plenty of conflict is set up for the Doctor to resolve.

The plot moves along at a good pace with some mystery about who is on whose side among the humans on the space station. The typical cliffhangers abound in this four-episode storyline. The special effects are also typical for the classic Doctor Who (not very good). The story falls apart a bit when the Cybermen go to Voga to plant bombs. The Vogans fight them with rifles rather than using the plentiful gold all around. What the heck? Baker is charming as usual and has good chemistry with Sladen and Marter.

Mildly recommended--this is a typical, not great, story.

The Maryland Zoo, Baltimore

We visited the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore on Presidents Day. The place was more crowded than we were expecting, but the nice (for February) weather and the cheap winter tickets probably contributed to the turn out, along with the holiday.

Right by the entrance is a playground (much like any other playground in Maryland, no need to pay to use this one) and a statue dedicated to otters.

The first animals we saw were not very lively

Before getting down to the zoo proper, we saw the prairie dog exhibit, an outdoor field full of cute little rodents. They make a yelping sound and have a fun way of popping up and down.

Prairie for the dogs

Cutie close up

On the way down to the other animal exhibits, many of the original cages and displays still stand. The zoo was built in the 1870s, so it is amazing that a lot of the original structures are extant.

The old cages from the Victorian era

The first exhibit we saw was the penguins, who were being fed. They spent most of their time eating while a zoo keeper told us a lot of information over loudspeakers. The keeper was standing with the patrons so we were able to ask some questions. She told us how the penguins are shaped a bit like torpedoes so they move quickly through the water. Their feet are optimized for swimming, so they are more awkward on land. Sometimes, while swimming, they pop out of the water (called "porpoising") to get a breath of air.

Penguins feeding

Penguins swimming

Penguins popping up like prairie dogs of the sea

The penguin habitat includes two storks who were not very interested in what was going on.

He's looking at the feeding, so maybe he's wondering when it is his turn?

Showing off big wings

The sitatunga is a central African swamp antelope that has big hoofs to keep it from sinking in to soft earth. They were hanging out on the far side of their pen. 

Sitatunga

Across the way from them is a pond full of Caribbean Flamingos. They were digging through the mud with their bills, looking for some snacks.

Flamingos

Much drier and much larger are the animals in the next exhibit--ostriches. They are the largest birds extant and can run at speeds up to 40 miles per hour and have a powerful kick. They don't bury their heads in the sand, though they might bury their feet in their persecutors!

Good thing the log is between us and them!

Much faster, of course, is the cheeta, who can speed up to 70 miles per hour. This cheeta was either shy or indifferent to its many visitors. Or maybe it was hoping to run into a sitatunga along the back wall.

Or maybe searching for a way out?

African elephants are the largest land animals in the world. With such bulk, how are they so cute and charming? 

African elephant

View of the other side

Caught in the act

Eating a snack

The giraffes, the tallest animals on the planet, were also shy. Only one was out in the paddock and it never stood in any spot that was good for getting a photo.

Facing the wrong way

This one was my fault, should have click a moment sooner

Over on lemur lane, we saw a monkey hanging out in an overhead tunnel. The colobus monkey mostly stays in the trees, eating fruit and leaves.

Monkeying around?

More like napping

The red ruffed lemurs were more active, but not by much.

Red ruffed lemurs

In the monkey house, the red-tailed guenons were moving all over the place, making it hard to get a good shot of any one in particular.

Some distinctive coloring for sure

A cute face

The chimpanzees were more active, climbing around their area with ease and grace (and the occasional blanket!). Some were not as active as others.

Hanging from the ceiling with a blanket

Hanging on the ground with a blanket

Over at the window

A few of the outdoor exhibits were interactive, like an area to walk like a chimp or ride on a tortoise.

Not as easy as it looks

A slow ride

The African slender-snouted crocodile is an endangered species, though from the looks of him he is not worried about it. He was placed in a habitat with a turtle, who I assume is immune from being eaten because of his shell.

African slender-snouted crocodile

An indoor cave exhibit featured the Eastern Hellbender. The Hellbender is the largest salamander in North America, living mostly in Appalachia. The name's origin is murky, though people assume it is because it is very unattractive. It likes to hide between rocks in shallow water and eats other, smaller animals. 

Eastern Hellbender!

The cave exhibit also has a bunch of snakes behind glass. These two rattlesnakes don't look very dangerous curled up as they are.

Rattlesnakes!

Outside of the cave exhibit is the otters, who swim so fast they don't make attractive pictures either. The otter habitat includes a tunnel for humans under the water where they can see the swimming from below!

It's an otter, really!

The zoo was a fun place to visit, even in the winter.