Circus, Circus

Today was Owen's trip to the Barnum and Bailey circus with his class. Along with his friends Mackenzie, Reganne, Kerri, Dylan and Nick (and their moms), we bumped our way into Baltimore aboard a yellow school bus; made our way across a busy city street; and struggled through crowds of school kids. Once seated all in a row, we fended off assaults by the hawkers selling $8 programs, $20 lighted-whirling-stick things and plastic swords, $16 cotton candy towering out of a fabric top hat, and rainbow snow cones dripping down clown cups; then handed out the pepperoni, crackers and cheese we'd packed for lunch and waited for the lights to blaze under the big top.


The kids seemed a bit daunted at the spectacle at first - there were acrobats swinging from the ceiling by fabric streamers, clowns running amok, dancing ladies, and adorable dogs jumping, dancing and somersaulting through hoops. Seemingly all at the same time.


Oh, and these guys, who make me extremely nervous ever since as a kid I watched a TV movie about the "The Great Wallendas" and how the father fell to his death from the high wire.

As expected Owen most enjoyed the animals - horses, zebras, the aforementioned dogs, elephants, and of course ...



the TIGERS!

Yeah, they were my favorite part too. The trainer was crazy and loud, and the cats themselves were gorgeous. Think it's too late for me to join the circus and take up tiger training?