Sunday, April 20, 2008

Monkeys

We went to Arashiyama Monkey Jungle. Oh yes we did.

It cost about $5.00 to get in, and there are monkeys. What more could you ask?

We paid our money and we took our chances. You can't take any paper bags or food into Monkey Jungle because the monkeys (who are free to roam) will think it's food and get all up in your face. There are also instructions not to stare at the monkeys as they will interpret this as a sign of aggression.

We walked up a steep hill and after about 10 minutes....Look! Up there! A monkey! In a tree!


I feared that this might be the only monkey we would see, so i took a picture.


Here's a few questions about monkeys to keep you entertained on the long walk up the hill:
And here's the answer to the first question:
Got that?

In a few minutes we came upon many, many monkeys. Here's the Mister getting a shot of a monkey with his really big lens. This shows how close we were able to get to the monkeys.
This little guy was doing some sightseeing of his own:

Awwww, just awww:
While we were there, a man came out and gave a talk about the monkeys. I didn't understand a word he said, but it looks like the monkeys were very interested.
On the path on the way down, we encountered a different sort of primate playing:

40 comments:

Girlplustwo said...

that is super, super cool.

urban-urchin said...

I had no idea there was a monkey jungle in japan. that is really cool.

Dick said...

Did you sometimes feel that you were missing part of the exhibits? I think I am more familiar with those second kind of primates than the first but at this stage of my life, I guess if I had to have one I'd take a monkey.

thailandchani said...

Went to something similar in Chiang Mai. Totally cool. :)

furiousBall said...

that rocks sock monkeys

Anonymous said...

Based on where the Mister's lens is pointing, he seems completely unaware that little monkey is that near to him. Did you step on any monkeys? Is stepping on monkeys a hazard at the Monkey Jungle? Perhaps the signs says "Warning: You might step on monkeys! Please be polite and say excuse me if you step on monkeys!"

Also:

Is it monkey week, causing a strange unconscious urge to post monkey pics? I posted a sock-monkey-in-the-box and a complete set of office monkeys all of which were highlighted in a window display -- without even realizing Monkey Jungles You Can Pay to Visit even existed!

ETK said...

OMG! I want to go NOW. Now. Right now.

meno said...

jen, it was cool. You would have loved it.

u-u, i didn't know either, but someone The Mister knew recommended it as a great place to take pictures.

dick, i'm with you on that. Give me a monkey anyday.

chani, it's really cool how the monkeys are just hanging out all around you. Much better than seeing them in cages.

furious, i'll bet there were sock monkeys at the gift shop, but we skipped it.

daisy, i think he was adjusting the settings or something, whatever one does with a real camera instead of a point and shoot like mine. Monkey Week! It must be.

etk, you would totally freak out over the picture taking opportunities. It was very cool.

QT said...

What a cool experience. Tho, wow, I won't take those announcements on the shuttle from S concourse at SeaTac(in 5 languages) for granted anymore.

Lynn said...

Evidently these were nice monkeys that didn't throw monkey poo...did they. I think that I would be freaked out walking among them. Either that or I would start singing "Hey, hey we're the Monkees..." and cause total and complete embarassment to my whole family (especially Elle):~) lol Thanks for sharing the photos.

Mrs4444 said...

My favorite is the one with the monkeys "listening to the talk." Too funny. Looks like a fun time.

Stucco said...

Were any of them named "Dubya"?

Anonymous said...

I got some ketchin up ta do. How jealous are we of the monkey-viewing? Really jealous. The youngest boy here is very in love with the monkeys.

Fascinating to see the Mr. in all his cuteness. You don't post pictures of yourself much, do yeh? You should. It's completely interesting to the rest of us.

sari said...

OH MY GOSH! I love monkeys. The best thing about this is a) you're back and b) you're showing me monkeys, what a great night. :-)

Scott from Oregon said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13YtT5RElwo

Nice monkey vid...

meno said...

qt, i know, that's how i felt when we got home and heard the train announcement in Japanese.

lynn, i wondered about the poo throwing. But the monkeys were well behaved.

mrs4444, they were so cute listening politely.

stucco, why yes, they all were i think.

capacious, we are both MUCH cuter than our pictures would indicate.

sari, you would have loved this place. There were baby monkeys. Oh, the cuteness.

meno said...

scott, ha ha ha ha ha! I wondered if the monkeys would be masturbating or sexing each other up, but alas, no.

peevish said...

Monkeys are fascinating, no? I'm really glad you got to go there. So cool.

Anonymous said...

Lovely monkeys and the mister's pretty cute too. I especially liked the photo of the monkey's sitting, listening to the man talking.

Marshamlow said...

I am about to cry, I hadn't realized how much I miss Japan. Your pictures have captured something that just brings it all back to me. When we went to see the monkey's in Northern Japan they were all caged due to having an extremely overgrown population and having attacked tourists and locals too many times. Oh well, it was still fun.

TTQ said...

The monkey's obviously know what the guy was saying, He was warning them about behaviors upsetting to , us we have to read signs..monkey's get it explained to them..

tt said...

Oooooooo...I.love.the.monkeys!!! I've even got monkey valences in my kitchen and livingroom. My sis sent me a stencil so I can get the cute little boogers up on my walls! We never got to mainland Japan.We were stuck on Okinawa... How lucky your were to go! Can't wait to see more pics!

Princess in Galoshes said...

I'm late, but WELCOME BACK! We missed you! Also, thanks. I now realize my life is utterly lacking in the see-monkeys-up-close-and-personal department. sigh.

lu said...

I love all of this vicarious traveling. More, please!

Lynnea said...

Monkey hugs are adorable.

Princess in Galoshes said...

meno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOXlF1t1ZyI

(pilfered from Dooce this morning)

Mignon said...

I am feeling satisfied by both monkey and Mister photos now. That's what my morning needed, apparently.

Oh, and I've been to a lot of zoos/wildlife parks/nature-type areas, and I've seen lots of animals doing it (most entertaining were the giant tortoises), but never monkeys. I think monkey-love is totally exaggeratd.

Liv said...

umm...did you see their butts? because liv freaking hates monkey butts.

Diane Mandy said...

so so cool! It sounds as though you had a great time in japan.

Tink said...

Freakin awesome. I am SO jealous. So... Did you sneak one of the monkeys out for me?

meno said...

peevish, it WAS cool. The monkeys were just hanging out.

deb, yeah, he's okay. :)

marsha, i am eager to go back there again, now that we have the JR trains mostly figured out.

ttq, they do look like they understand him. Who's to say?

tt, well i think you might just need to schedule a trip!

princess, i wonder if they are any easier than cats to deal with.

lu, more to follow.

maggie, i know, aren't they sweet?

princess, OMG! That one is even more complicated.

mignon, that gives lie to the "hot monkey sex" phrase. What a disappointment!

liv, Their butts were RED! I'll have to post a picture for you.

diane, we did indeed.

tink, damn! if i'd only known you wanted one.

Cheesy said...

Oh that makes me miss the short time we spent in Okinawa...

Please please PLEASE tell me you saw Curious George???!!! I love that naughty lil' monkey!
I too loved the listening monkeys pic~~~

Anonymous said...

I had an overwhelming sense of foreboding as I clicked in to this post. I guess I'm not really a wild animals on the loose sort of person.

But I was rewarded with a picture of the Mister!!

fiwa said...

how fun - I love monkeys. I love that photo of the monkeys staring at the guide. It looks like they are sitting and listenting to the lecture.

lucky girl. :)

meno said...

cheesy, i saw Curious George, i saw Curious Georgette, Curious Georgina, Curious George Junior......

de, it was surreal. The monkeys were just hanging out all over the place.

fiwa, i am lucky!

Unknown said...

This calls for a re-telling of my favorite joke:

Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?
Because it was dead. *s*

Good to have you back, Meno. Even though you aren't really back anymore since you're actually in Ohio, and I'm not really there. So logistics aside, I'm glad you're back!

Andrea Frazer said...

Wow! You went to Japan? And you sat on hot toilets, fed monkeys and did a lot of touring? NEAT. I'm glad you're back safe.

crazymumma said...

neatoh! look at their little faces. wonder what on earth they think of us big hairless goofballs.

luckyzmom said...

We knew a couple of people who had monkeys for pets. One bit my finger when I was about 10 or 11. The other was owned by a German family who lived across the street from us in Germany (when my husband was stationed there). He was always in diapers. Oh, and I almost forgot about my pet monkey that I bought myself when we were in Germany. His name is Jocko Stief!

Loved your pictures. Thanks for posting them.

cara said...

What fantastic monkeys! Too cute!

I found your blog today through Flutter and I just wanted to say hi. Hi!