National Zoo Pandas Say Goodbye

We didn’t know it at the time, but I’m glad we had a chance to visit the National Zoo panda house last November. We have visited the zoo a few times since we moved to DC seventeen years ago. So when we learned a while ago that the pandas would be returned to China this week, we were very sad to hear about it. They have been in the news constantly before and since we came to the area. We went to the zoo last year to take some photos for my weekly challenge and ended up strolling over to visit the black and white puff balls. I would have liked to get a bit closer, but they were hanging around the far side of the enclosure. But at least they were out. Being November it wasn’t very busy so we had plenty of room to gawk. My husband hates zoos, but I sort of grew up on them - especially Busch Gardens in Florida. That is in fact the first time we got to see the visiting pandas way back in the 1980’s. So the news was filled with panda stories this week and when the fedex trucks carted them off to Dulles airport everyone felt it. Hopefully they will get to come back again. Every one misses them.