We decided to go on on Friday, August 22, after I taught my classes. So we boarded a bus to Seoul and then took the subway train to Noksapyeong station (about 20 stops and 2 train transfers away). It was about $10 entrance fee per individual and I hoped it was worth it.
There were a lot of desicated insects on display outside of the exhibit. I thought it was all of that but I was wrong - there were live animals and insects inside. First up were the bugs. There were beetles, crickets, bees, katydids, stick insects, and a host of other creepy crawlies including my nemesis - the tarantula. *shudder* The gargantuan furry arachnid that they had even had orange fur on its legs. I gave it a wide berth. In a touch exhibit, Billy had fun making hercules beetles joust at each other.Then it was off to the reptile exhibit. Billy had a chance to pet and handle several friendly snakes.
And even pose beside huge ones like these Burmese pythons (this yellow one is an albino).
This python nearly killed our guide a week before. He was cleaning its cage when it lunged at him and tried to strangle him with its coils. Good thing his fellow tour guides and animal handlers were there to help him get the snake off.
We also got to see bearded lizards, a young monitor lizard and even a local korean lizard called the line lizard (due to a single line running down its sides).
Bearded Lizard
Monitor lizard (I told the guide that I had an opportunity to eat one of these back when I was in college. Yes, it taste like chicken).
Line lizard found only in Korea.
We also got to see a monkey, guinea pigs, cute little miniature pigs from Cambodia, a ferret and some huge bunnies. We got to pet most of them like this albino skunk (the guide told us not to worry, this one's been de-skunked). It was my first time to have seen an actual skunk. Hubby said it was too bad I didn't get a chance to get a whiff of its actual odor. No, thank you very much.
There were adorable hedgehogs there too. I already saw a hedgehog about a year ago here in our local streetmarket but this was the first time that I actually got to pet one. These little guys never even woke up when we were petting them. One actually yawned and went back to sleep. How cute!
Billy also had a chance to catch and release some eels in a small pond that they set up in the middle of the exhibit. There were a bunch of kids there who were giggling and having the time of their life. The guides told them that they had to release the eels back when they were through catching them. Everyone were also told to wash their hands after that.
I let Billy roam around and explore to his hearts content. But soon, it was 4:00 pm and we still haven't eaten lunch and I was really hungry. Billy posed one last time with our tour guide (Mr. Kim) and we bade goodbye to all the animals and creepy-crawlies. It was definitely worth the fee.
