Our Family Park Experience - Cebu Family Park

Wednesday, March 5, 2008, it may seem unusual going to a park in the middle of the week. However, after me and my baby daughter had our lunch at McDo, it suddenly came into my mind that I should take some time for my baby, and that the best thing would be taking her to the Zoo. Sad to say, Cebu city’s zoo has
long closed.

The first place that came to my mind now was the Residence Inn somewhere at Busay road. I remembered way back years ago, my friends and me went there, and there was this large yellow python. It was a nice experience, and we did enjoy it. But that was way years back. So I was hesitant to proceed there.

My last option was The Family Park somewhere near Talamban, I have never been there, not even once, but my mother did mention it to me the mini zoo and the pool. On our way there, we experienced heavy traffic near Foodland, there was this construction for a flyover going on, so it took us more like 30 – 45 minutes to get there from JY Square Discovery Mall.

When we arrived, just as we entered the place, along the road surrounded by the trees, I heard my daughter marveled “Nindota dri oi!” It then gave me a grief that I did do the right thing taking her to this park. For the entrance it only cost us 15 pesos. Not a bad price for a place to stroll and a visit to the mini zoo. It would be her first time to really see live wild animals, such us monkeys; oh the family park has plenty of monkeys and baboons. The Philippine brown deer, the myna bird, python, monitor lizards, and eagles.

I took her hand as we were going to the Mini Zoo. My baby was so amazed about the animals, and a little bit of being afraid. She was delighted being there even though it’s not really that nice to most of us who have been to large zoos, like the Manila zoo or the used to be Cebu zoo, we could easily compare about the variety of animals that we should see. What makes this place especial is because it’s the only place we have now here in Cebu. It is really an irony that most parents right now are so busy looking for money in the struggle for everyday life that most of them forget to give their children the experience that every child should have. Things like a stroll to the park, a picnic, a visit to the zoo, or a day on the pool or beach. If it had been that way, places like The Family Park would have been much nicer, parks would have more funds to sustain maintenance and daily expenses. Even the large pool, needs more maintenance. Algae are developing that means there is a need for more chemicals.

About our midweek experience on The Family Park? Above satisfactory, low cost, unplanned yet satisfying. My baby’s joy seeing those animals was priceless. I hope this blog would give you the idea of going there yourself and your family every once in awhile. The next time we will visit the park, we will going to try the small pool.