"A man must love his bear"

We went to Grouse Mountain on Sunday. It was a bit of a birthday treat for Alex and it rained most of the day, so we couldn't do any outside work anyway. While there we saw a Grizzly bear. Isn't he just so cute and cuddly? He is actually part of tee Grouse Mountain Grizzly Bear Habitat; not exactly a wild one. He was particularly sleepy that afternoon and lifted his head at various, but brief intervals while the two dozen or so of us watched on. His looking up was so regular that Ashley questioned whether it was in fact a mechanical bear whose head would move occasionally to appease the tourists.
I dared him to climb into the enclosure to find out for sure, but he passed up the opportunity - very wisely I might add.
I am currently reading the book Shantaram, which if any are interested, is a bloody good read. The language is exquisite and the story more than engaging. In one chapter, the main character must hug a great grizzly that is brought to his living quarters; reluctantly he does it. Later the main character is asked to help out the bear's handlers who are jailed along with the bear, although in separate cells. The bear handlers are concerned for their bear friend alone in a distant cell.. The main character has to try to convince the prison wardens to allow the bear handlers to share a cell with the bear. The bear handlers make a desperate and heart wrenching plea to any who would listen, "a man must love his bear". How could anyone refuse that?
There is something about bears. They are fascinating. Although my want to see one in the wild has diminished significantly upon knowing the actual size and power of these rather fearsome creatures. So I guess I am saying that the bear habitat enclosure passes as a bear sighting, as far as I am concerned.