Friday's fun fact - X marks the spot

The most distinctive feature of Pristella maxillaris is its translucent layer of skin that covers its body, hence its more common name X-ray fish. Did you know their skin is thought to be a form of protection as it makes them harder to spot amongst dense vegetation and shimmering water?

The transparency of this little fish reminded me of a photo I saw used to promote blood donation ahead of the Olympics. It is a very striking image which is obviously what they wanted as it certainly catches your attention.

Friday's fun fact - Crazy crocodiles

Did you know that crocodiles swallow stones? Not because they are really crazy, but in order to help them digest their food and to act as a ballast to help them dive deeper.

On a recent trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford our little ones enjoyed getting up close and personal with all the animal exhibits, which included this crocodile skeleton. We would recommend the museum - it's fun for little ones and free!

Happy Friday everyone!

Olympic fever

So the Olympics have come to a close after two weeks of fantastic sporting action. On a recent trip to London for a birthday celebration we were able to soak up the fantastic atmosphere that the games generated. We were a little concerned about how busy it would be, but we needn't have worried. London it seems couldn't have been running more efficiently and everyone was so friendly. Not to say that it isn't normally a friendly city, it just seemed everyone was making that extra bit of effort to ensure everything ran smoothly. 

A little bit of light reading for the train...!

Outside City Hall they had a big screen and lots of activities to get involved in.

John even lent a hand at drawing some Olympic events...

 

Some of the Little Blue Zebra family were lucky enough to get tickets to see some of the action and experience the amazing atmosphere in the stadiums and Olympic park. 

We bought a few souvenirs home to inspire the next generation...