Donkey Show

We returned from Lac Bai via the overland route, which took us past the Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary. After I noticed it was a Pokemon Go stop, my father pulled over so that he could spin it, and since I had never been here, we decided to go to the gift shop.

The shop is filled with all manner of donkey paraphernalia with an entire aisle devoted to flamingos, photos of both are unfortunately in the batch I lost. I picked up some gifts for my housemates, and then the cashier gave us the hard sell on the sanctuary tour. For just $9 a person, we could drive through the donkeys!

We opted to pay the entry fee, and she told us they currently have 795 donkeys in residence. She showed us the route through the park on a map that looked like it was finger painted and told us not to worry because we could climb the observation tower and see the whole place, and also she was giving us a map. She was excited because it was feeding time. She did not specify that we were the food.

A few metres into the park, we crossed a cattle grate and then were mobbed by hungry donkeys. My father successfully navigated the car to the observation tower, which was so surrounded by donkeys that we couldn’t get to it to go up the stairs. At some point, I remembered the Donkey Mistress had given us a map, and I opened it to get our bearings. Turns out, it was the same one fingerpainted at the gift shop. 

Apparently the gift store also sells donkey feed, which means the donkeys are very used to coming up to cars and begging. They tuck themselves in behind the side mirrors and would trot along with the car. Most of them seemed excitable, and the sound of a window rolling down would bring a stampede towards the car. They had many methods of distraction: pushing the side mirrors around, standing in front of the car so we couldn't go forward, body checking the side doors. It was basically like being in the walking dead except the zombies were bunny-eared ponies.

I found a few favourite donkeys. Predictably these were the darker ones, because the poor goth donkeys must have been dying in the sun. Unfortunately I could only take photos through the windows, because rolling them down meant certain death-by-donkey. 

This donkey found windows no barrier, he kept trying to lick my father's arm through the window. Likely to see if he needed seasoning. 

This sad guy reminded me of one of my housemates. (You know which one, JERRY). He has such Eeyore ears that I loved him. 

Lastly, Hill Donkey was my very favourite. He stood on the highest point of the park, defending it against all potential usurpers. It was basically Game of Thrones, but with Donkeys. 

We eventually escaped with our lives, but it was a near thing. At points we were pretty sure we wouldn’t make it and that the donkeys would be having human carpaccio sandwiches for their lunch.