Monkey business

In the paper this morning there was a picture of some monkeys enjoying bathing in a hot spring. These are wild monkeys, and their picture appears in the paper every year around this time. It doesn't even have to be a slow news day.

You can understand why, really. Animals doing human-like things are fascinating. There is always the niggle in the back of our minds when we see them, Are those animals behaving like humans, or are we behaving like animals?

I checked the web to see if there were any information, and found this. Click on the English link. You will get lots of wonderful pictures, and lots of wonderful English. (My favourite quote, from the Monkey's Now link: " Spring has come for the excrements of the monkey.")

But best of all, there is a webcam. While I was checking it out just now a large monkey was sitting beside the hot spring and regarding it thoughtfully. Is the temperature just right? it seemed to be thinking. Shall I take the plunge? When I refreshed the page the decision had been made and a satisfied face was poking out of the water.