Who would have imagined that beautiful creatures such as the ones I'm featuring here would thrive in a scorching environment of sand dunes?

This was the first thought that entered my mind the moment I was brought to this unassuming location.

One weekend afternoon, as we were about to finish a sumptuous lunch at a fast-food joint, my dear friend proposed an unexpected adventure.

“Listen, did someone already inform you about this cool place where exotic animals are showcased? If you're interested, it's only a short walk from here. Shall we check it out?” she asked.

“Oh sure, why not? I'm really stuffed, so this would be a super way to shed off the extra weight, haha. And besides, we still have spare time.” I replied.

So, off we went to this residential neighborhood surrounded by low-level houses, pretty much in direct contrast to the urban spaces cramped with towering skyscrapers. From the main street, we could also feel the hot breeze caressing our faces, since the said site was also quite close to the city’s windy coastline.

As we strolled towards the destination’s entry gate, a 3-meter high beige wall suddenly received us. It displayed enormous signage embossed with stainless steel letters showing English text below with the local language translation above. Adjacent to this stone structure was an artistic wall decorated with colorful paintings of wildlife with emphasis on the landmark’s name.

Hey, you probably already have an idea on what kind of establishment we were visiting here, right? But wait, I'll save that until the end. We surely don't want to miss the good stuff first.

As my female companion and I walked inward towards its dark mysterious corridor, my heartbeat pounded a bit faster because the welcome lobby seemed quiet, no other people were in sight. We were probably the only guests there during that time of the day. From a distance, we could only hear the faint noises of the animals and witness the glare of natural light up ahead.

However, lo and behold, after a short while, there they were - the collection of various species of animals in all their magnificent glory!

Their gorgeous appearances were so inviting that we didn't hesitate to forward our itchy feet towards them immediately.

The first group of adorable creatures that greeted us were the long-legged flamingos, one of the sexiest birds I've ever seen. With their creamy white feathers and pink beaks, they didn't seem to care about the spectators who were watching them up close.

In fact, majority of the animals within the enclosures in this place were their relatives: other bird species. You name them - there were parrots, ostriches, storks, turkeys, hornbills, and the most beautiful of them all, peacocks! The owners and keepers must have been fond of our feathered friends since they accumulated different kinds of breeds.

Not to mention: herds of oryx, a gang of monkeys, and a few gigantic turtles. These were some of the more common habitats of animals existing there.

And most importantly, we didn't overlook our favorite showstoppers: the enchanting peacocks. We invested a lot of time with them because of the fascinating dances of courtship between the male and female peafowls. Apart from capturing photos of the rest of the animals, our cameras were definitely glued to these exquisite birds.

We made sure that we were clicking lots of pictures whenever they were fully spreading their wings, displaying their colorful feathers. And they didn't seem to mind demonstrating their natural beauty whenever we approached them for more photographs. Oh, what a captivating sight!

Moreover, the big cats such as tigers and lions were also present. We didn't stay too close to them due to their wild nature but we surely got their attention, except for one of the male lions who just continued dozing off for the rest of the afternoon.

And last but not the least, a small number of reindeer and chimpanzees were also there to entertain us with their own funny spectacles and distinctive behaviors.

Our comprehensive walk around the entire complex was exhausting yet satisfying. However, as I was reviewing all the photos in my camera on our way home, I noticed one particular image that grabbed my undeniable sympathy. Here it is:

Is the ostrich trying to talk to you too? What is she telling you by the look on her eyes? Can you hear her tearful cry for help?

Have you also noticed something that's absolutely alarming here? The cages, right?

For environmental activists out there who might worry due to the presence of prisoned enclosures housing these various animals, don't fret!

This tourist attraction used to be called the Dubai Zoo, one of the treasured gems in the Middle East during its heydays. But a few years after our last exploration of this popular park, we learned that it has already been closed to the public permanently.

“But where are the animals that used to be caged at the Dubai Zoo?” you ask.

All of them have now been transferred to the newly opened Dubai Safari Park, where they are no longer trapped in tight environments and can roam around freely in much larger open spaces. At least that puts a smile on our faces.

And that was my incredible walk worth reminiscing!

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