Here is a translation of
this article:
11,000 guests and Princess Alexandra celebrate 75th birthday of Odense Zoo.
They often looked anxiously at the sky waiting to see if the dry weather would hold up. They wanted to see Princess Alexandra as she came to the zoo and wondered if they would get to meet her even with the rain and applause. As the rain came down calmly and slowly, zoologist Bjarne Klausen just had to see it through with a little bit of humor in the situation:
-It is something that we had arranged. That way the flowers will be fresh, he said to flower and birthday girl 10 year old Emma Borring. She smiled but was not entirely persuaded by this view.
Penguins at sunrise.
Fortunately the rain was not strong and it had disappeared by the time Princess Alexandra had arrived(by sailing) in a good mood at 11:30 and then the celebration for the 75th anniversary of the zoo could really get going. Princess Alexandra, who is the protector of the zoo, had first walked around the park and had among other things greeted those in the area where they keep the primates and she visited a donkey and the 26 new penguins in the area where the sun had rose up as she and her contigent had come to the zoo.
The penguins were confused as they looked at the proper princess and a couple of them instantly strained their necks and made noises that only penguins can make. Also Princess Alexandra enjoyed seeing the exclusive animals at the zoo that skipped or hopped over to her. After having been sitting at a bench while watching the sunrise, she was able to go up to the glass window and she was able to more clearly look at the penguins. All in all, Princess Alexandra was in the right "birthday" mood. On the way through the zoo one could hear the Princess laugh several times. After visiting the royal Penguin house, the Princess went on to the more official part of her agenda. where mayor Anker Boye started to speak for the birthday children.
The net was tightened
And so it was that after all of the planning that either humans nor animals were to blame. It was just the outdoors for you. It teases. Princess Alexandra then released 750 balloons with free tickets in them which were captured by a large net. But the net spun itself, attached to a lamppost and before it was handed over to the princess. At once her bodyguards jumped up at once and sought to free the ballons from the hold of the lamppost, without much success. But then the people at the Odense Zoo lended a hand and freed the nets from the lamppost which then Princess Alexandra finally was able to take over and free the balloons. After two lessons about the birthday, the princess took the spot again but for the zoo, the banquet continued the rest of the day with great success. No fewer than 11, 261 were at the zoo for the celebration. It is a new record.
Photo: The primate center gave all including the mayor and Princess Alexandra plenty of smiles. Nina Collatz Christensen talks about the little apes as they are fed raisins and mealworms(sounds yummy) and this brought about a time of steady quiet among the visitors.
