April 5, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Tropical Discovery at the Denver Zoo

It’s Zeb the Duck here again. Mom and I went back to the Denver Zoo.

Zeb the Duck goes to the zoo

This time we visited Tropical Discovery. This building within the zoo has fish, snakes, frogs, lizards and the huge Komodo Dragons. It is warm inside, like a tropical forest, so it is perfect for those less than perfect days outside.

I like the frogs. Here is a Mexican Leaf Frog.

More information

Mexican Leaf Frog

These frogs only live in Mexico. The yellow banded dart frog lives in northeast South America.

The snakes were very colorful and not slimy. This McGregor’s Viper lived in the rainforest of the Philippine Islands.

Zoo information

McGregor’s Viper

Cobras have hoods on their heads and this suphan cobra thrives in the forests of Thailand.

Cobra information

Thailand’ Suphan Cobra

Be careful if you hike in the forest of West Africa. This green mamba lives there and is deadly.

Be careful around this snake

West African Green Mamba

Lion fish are graceful while swimming.

Lionfish

They appear to have fancy costumes that sway in the water; they are stunning fish.

Before leaving Tropical Discovery, we visited the Komodo dragons, lizards and crocodiles.

Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragons often grow 10 feet long. When they are hungry, they are capable of killing and eating just about anything.

Tropical Discovery at the Denver Zoo is a fascinating place. I am glad the glass enclosures are strong. Visit www.denverzoo.org for more information.

March 12, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Dinner at The Fort near Denver

Zeb the Duck here and I am very happy. My Alaska cousin, Eider and his dad, are flying to Denver today. Mom and I picked them up at Denver International Airport. This is a very big airport. The design is to represent the high mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

Blue horse at Denver International Airport

The blue horse at the airport is an original and well known to travelers using Denver’s airport.

Eider and I and our humans visited The Fort restaurant in nearby Morrison, Colorado for dinner. They specialize in Colorado beef, wild game and fish. We started with warm bread and pumpkin nut rolls.

Let’s get started!

The salads were large, fresh and crisp and very tasty. The humans ordered a featured meal consisting of a buffalo medallion, an elk chop, and quail breast, served with Montana huckleberry sauce.

So much food

It was very tasty and we were all pleasantly full.

After dinner, we explored the restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and invited us to pose on the bar.

Ducks at the bar

Adjoining the bar was an additional lounge. The smaller tables had colorful cloths

Cozy area

where humans, and ducks, can sit, chat and enjoy a beverage and snack. The lounge had a wooden model of Noah’s Ark.

Noah’s Ark at The Fort

Over the door leaving this lounge we saw this jackalope.

What’s a jackalope?

They humans just laughed as we asked where jackalopes live. Must be a human joke. In another room we saw this buffalo mount on a wall.

Buffalo at The Fort

Buffalo sure are big! These are huge horns over the grill.

Huge horns. We feel so small.

It was dark when we left the restaurant. We liked this fire pit.

Fire pit on outdoor patio

Contained fires are very warm and inviting. They even had a statue of a polar bear.

A polar bear in Colorado

After seeing this, Eider and I decided to be good.

We promise to be good!

We liked The Fort and we think you would also. Visit http://www.thefort.com for more information. The food, decor and views are wonderful.

The Fort Restaurant

February 19, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Hamlet in Denver

Soapy Smith Duck and his mom invited my mom and me, Zeb the Duck, to see Hamlet. I was so excited. Our moms love plays and love the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, but Soapy and Zeb have never been here before.

We went to a matinee. Before the performance Soapy and Zeb posed for photos.

Soapy and Zeb on foot of tall dancers

These dancers are really tall!! Zeb and Soapy are standing on a foot—the foot on the left side of this photo. We look like yellow dots. Here we are, Soapy on the foot and Zeb on the ground.

Really big feet!

This is one entrance to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. We ducks love the roof.

One entrance to Denver Center for the Performing Arts

This center has multiple theaters and artwork. Here is one statue in the complex.

Statue at Denver Center for the Performing Arts

We like this place.

Inside the building near the entrance we saw these small tables.

Near theater showing Hamlet. First performed in 1600.

Little known facts about Hamlet are here. It is very nice to learn unusual facts about our show. We really like Lion King, so we think we will like Hamlet also.

Time to enter the theater, but mom said no photos during the performance. We loved this performance. Maybe our moms will bring us here again. They are talking about seeing another performance.

After the show, some of the actors and other people instrumental in this production talked to the audience.

Some actors and staff talking to audience

They were very interesting and informative.

Here we are, by the statue of King Hamlet, the very King that was murdered in this play.

Soapy and Zeb with King Hamlet

This was an exciting day for ducks and moms. We hope you will see Hamlet, or some other live performance. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is beautiful, but if you don’t live in Denver, see a live performance in your area of the world. You will like it!

Announcing Hamlet. Soapy and Zeb in lower left.

February 1, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Frosty morning in Denver

Snow and cold in Denver today. We had more snow during the night. Our morning snow is beautiful.

Snow covered evergreen bushes have white frosting.

Morning snow on evergreen bushes

This tree looks magical.

Snow coated tree

Mom put us, Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck, on this table. The snow measures 7 inches. The 24 ounce Pepsi bottle is almost buried.

Ducks on snowy table

Here Zeb is almost buried.

Hey mom! I am sinking.

This is a good time to ski in Colorado. The ski resorts have feet of new snow. Have some winter fun.

December 20, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

Christmas at Cherry Creek Mall

I, Zeb the Duck, can tell something is going to happen soon. This is my first Christmas. Mom and I went to Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. I saw Christmas decorations and I heard Christmas carols.

Cherry Creek Mall has Rocky Mountain Play Park,

Play Park for human and ducks

sponsored by Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.

So much fun for kids and me

I went inside and played on the toys.

I like this

It is a lot of fun. So glad we came here.

At the Ice Palace I saw Santa Claus. I did not get to talk to him, but he was walking around the Ice Palace.

Is Santa looking for Zeb?

He is big with a white beard and wears a red suit. I wanted to see him, but maybe not too close. Christmas trees surround the Ice Palace.

So pretty

This huge glass globe had polar bears inside.

This looks like polar bear weather

Everything looks so pretty.

Walking through the mall, we heard singing. A musical quartet stopped occasionally to sing Christmas carols.

Christmas carols in Cherry Creek Mall

They looked so cute and sounded so good.

I like Christmas decorations. I will show you more decorations next time. Christmas is fun. Mom will tell me more about it. But, I like it!

December 16, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

Denver’s Annual Christmas Light Display

The City and County building in Denver, Colorado has spectacular Christmas lights.

City and County Building of Denver, Colorado

Zeb the Duck here, reporting that mom drove us to view this Christmas display. WOW!!! The lights are beautiful.

While we there, we heard Christmas carols. The lights changed colors as the music played.

The colors change

The evening we visited was mild and clear. It was just like a Christmas movie.

Denver’s City and County building has been decorated for Christmas since 1935. So many people experience this lighting masterpiece every year.

Colors change again

Usually this building is lit every night during the Christmas season. The lights remain on the building through January and the building is illuminated again during the Denver’s National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. Our stock show visitors also enjoy this display.

I am so happy to live near Denver so I could watch in amazement as the lights changed and the music played.

I love this!

December 13, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

Bass Pro Shop

More sporting supplies, more mounted animals and more fudge. Life is really good for us. Last time we went to Cabelas sport store. Cabelas is new in Denver. Now we are talking about Bass Pro. Bass Pro has been in Denver a few years and we love this store.

Bass Pro has all the normal sporting supplies required to be a top sporting goods outfitter.

Love this entrance and welcome greeting

They have so much fishing gear and so much hunting equipment. Here I am with many duck decoys.

I am with all these duck decoys

Bass Pro also has guns, ammunition, a special gunroom and a gunsmith. But one of the best things, besides the restaurant is more wonderful fudge. Fabulous!

Let’s see what we found. Furniture, such as these lamps, made for the sportsman.

Clever lamps

Also for the ice fisherman, place these shelters on the ice for your comfort and protection.

Comfort on the ice

This stuffed bear looks so alive and ready to pounce.

Slightly frightened

This is new. Bass Pro has a great aquarium by the elevators, and now a pond with these live ducks. The sign said they are Ruddy Ducks and as they are new to Bass Pro they are a little frightened.

Ruddy ducks behind me

More duck relatives in Denver!

My Alaska cousin and I spotted great toys. The ATV would be so much fun in the mountains.

An ATV would be so much fun

But the humans said no. Then we found the boats. We learned to love boats in the Caribbean.

So many boats at Bass Pro

But again, the humans said no. Now we do feel like human kids. But, since the humans do take us places we are very happy ducks.

Enter this store

Before enjoying the great outdoors, visit Bass Pro or any of our exceptional sporting stores. For more information about Bass Pro look at http://www.BassPro.com

December 11, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

Cabelas in Denver

Zeb the Duck here. We went shopping. Cabelas, a famous outdoor and sporting supply store says they are the world’s foremost outfitter.

Cabelas in Denver area

Cabelas opened two stores in the Denver area in August. When my Alaska uncle and my Alaska cousin came to visit, we went to Cabelas.

The first things we noticed were all the mounted animals on display. They look so real.

Great wildlife display

In the store aisles we saw lots of camping gear and of items to reduce or eliminate mosquitos. These mosquito swatters looked really interesting to us.

Goodbye mosquitos

They have lots of clothes, so many fishing lures and fishing poles. I had no idea so many kinds even existed.

We saw the area with bows and arrows.

Try before purchasing

This archery section even has an archery range so you can try your bow before you buy it. What a great idea.

We checked the gun area and ammunition. They had a lot of ammunition, but not the kind we use. We still have some, but we will look again next time. Cabelas has a gun library.

Place for rare guns

This is where the rare and more expensive guns are kept. A very interesting room.

This guy looks so real.

Scares us

We stayed close to mom and Alaska uncle. We are Colorado Traveling Ducks, not Duck appetizers.

The Front Range Café inside Cabelas is a great place. Smells good, too.

Love the fresh fudge

We bought fresh fudge. The lady said the fudge is made in the store each day. We ate some as soon as we got home. It is delicious!

My Alaska cousin and I liked Cabelas. It has so many different things. We didn’t tell you about everything; there is so much. Our humans like Cabelas also. If you are interested in outdoor equipment or just want to see lots of interesting stuff, we think you will like Cabelas.

We love polar bears

For more information visit www.cabelas.com

Tomorrow you will see another of Denver’s premier sporting stores. We will visit Bass Pro Shop.

November 27, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

The Buckhorn Exchange

So much history occurred at Denver’s Buckhorn Exchange. We go there for excellent exotic food and old time atmosphere. This famous steakhouse opened for business in 1893. And it is still serving fabulous food to Denverites, visiting dignitaries and tourists. I, Zeb the Duck, my Alaska cousin, my Alaska Uncle and my mom went here for dinner. We all liked it.

The Buckhorn Exchange in Denver

The Buckhorn Exchange was opened and operated by Henry H. Zietz. Zietz, one of the most colorful figures of the Early West met Buffalo Bill Cody and became a member of the scouts.

Buffalo Bill Cody was a frequent visitor

Through Buffalo Bill, Zietz met Chief Sitting Bull who dubbed him “Shorty Scout”. The name stuck with Zietz, and he and Sitting Bull became life long friends.

President Theodore Roosevelt ate here and hired Shorty Scout to be his hunting guide. Other presidents and dignitaries also ate here. In June 1938 about 30 Indians in full battle regalia rode war ponies down Osage Street to the Buckhorn. Shorty Scout appeared and Sitting Bull’s nephew, Chief Red Cloud, presented Shorty Scout with the sword, taken by Chief Sitting Bull, from the body of General George Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. The Zietz family owns the rare sword to this day.

When you visit the Buckhorn Exchange you can keep your souvenir menu, which is newspaper about the Buckhorn Exchange. Our humans love the paper. The restaurant walls display a wonderful collection of mounted game and fowl.

The walls have wonderful displays

You will also enjoy viewing their fabulous gun collection.

Our humans each ordered the combination plate. They had a buffalo tenderloin and elk with a mixed berry chardonnay sauce. They each had a baked potato and mixed vegetables.

Elk at top of plate,then baked potato, with buffalo closest to my human. Yum!

The meat was so tender. Everything was very tasty.

Our table had a candle and we liked the candle container.

Love this candle

This, like the entire décor, is very rustic and feels Early West.

The white oak bar, made in Germany in1857 is on the second floor of the restaurant. Framed behind the bar is Colorado Liquor License No. 1. This is real history.

We are sure you will enjoy visiting and dining at the Buckhorn Exchange.

Enjoy it all

Elk

Take time to experience the history here. For more information visit www.buckhornexchange.com The restaurant and lounge is located at 1000 Osage Street in Denver, Colorado.

November 16, 2013 by coloradotravelingducks

Felines at the Denver Zoo

Denver has a wonderful zoo.

Zeb the Duck goes to the zoo

It is huge and has many animals. The zoo also has some special exhibit areas. To see and enjoy the entire zoo, we would need to spend a full day, never stopping, or see a little each day. Mom and I have a zoo membership, so we visit the zoo for an hour or more several times during the year. If you live near Denver, you would enjoy a zoo membership also.

This trip we entered and headed for the large felines. Mom and I really love the cats. They are so powerful and so graceful.

Mom’s favorite

Now that you know how we visit the zoo, let’s talk about this visit.

Entering the zoo, we watched the banded mongoose run and play.

Banded mongoose

Some hid under a gunnysack and then jumped out, then hid again.

I was at the zoo. The mongoose was playing.

In the same enclosure we watched the African crested porcupines.

African crested porcupines

They were lounging, not very active today.

Next exhibit were the dik diks. These look like baby impalas or baby deer.

Dik Dik. So little and cute.

However they are full grown. Just look like toys.

I was with mom and saw all these animals also. It was hard to get pictures of me, Zeb the Duck, with these animals. They are so big and I would not go in the cage with them. Next time at the zoo there will be more pictures of me.

Then we saw the servals. These are African felines that hunt in tall grasses in Africa. They hunt by sound rather than by sight. We saw them, but they were too close to the fence for a good photo. Then we watched the leopard.

Leopards climb trees

This feline often sits in trees for a better view, and will usually take their meal in a tree with them. The leopard then feels safe from everything, except humans. So, when on an African safari, look up to see the rare leopard.

Siberian tigers are mom’s favorites. Now I know why. They are beautiful. We saw the tiger calmly resting and waiting for dinner. Dinner arrived, and this huge feline ate, while exhibiting good table manners.

Tiger with dinner

Such grace and calmness. WOW!!

Walking to the African exhibits, we saw this cheetah. A cheetah is the fastest land animal, sprinting at 70 mph.

Cheetahs are fast!

With speed and grace this feline is a real classy animal. Never knew I would learn so much at the zoo and see such magnificent animals.

I am looking forward to our next zoo visit. Go to www.denverzoo.org to learn more. I hope to see you at the zoo on my next visit. You will enjoy your day here. I, Zeb the Duck, love the zoo.

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