A day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

[kproche]

Today bovil and I drove down to Monterey to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

I got up at oh-my-gosh-in-the-morning to meet my trainer for my regular 7AM workout. Before I left, discovered that fairegoddess might want to be catch up with us and dropped her a return commment. I got to the gym on time only to discover my trainer had had a blonde moment and double-scheduled my slot. Oh, well, we talked briefly about what I should train and I did it myself.

Got home, woke up the Tall One, called Recycle Plus to schedule the pickup of the old mattress, traded a couple more messages with fairegoddess so we could meet up, then off we went to breakfast at the Original Pancake House, and hit the road to Monterey.

Parking was nearly impossible, but I spotted a spot in a tiny pay-yourself lot and we hiked over to the Aquarium. Fortunately, I'd bought our membership last night and it turned out we could buy Lynn her ticket at the members' entrance rather than make her wait in the long long long long line stretching around the corner.

This is the first time I'd visited the MBA since before they'd built the Outer Bay tank, so there was plenty of wonderful stuff to see, of course. The Outer Bay tank was as spectacular as I expected, as was the beautiful "Jellies: Living Art" exhibit, which featured the very precious touch of framing every tank window with a giant picture frame.

My favorite moment, though was when one of the two giant octopuses decided to take a stroll across its tank and then jet back to it's preferred corner while we and several astonished children watched. I'm pretty sure it was eyeing the kids (who were at its eye level) as it strolled in front of the window.

We also managed to get squeezed into the restaurant for lunch. Faced with a plethora of spectacular gustatory experiences, I punted and opted for a Caesar salad and (halibut) fish and chips. It was wonderful.

We managed to stay until closing and get home safely. Maybe I'll post more later. It was a lovely day.

Comments

[johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com]

You know, the last time I was at an aquarium (Seattle Aquarium in August 2005) I did a full pass counting how many species of fish I'd eaten (I discovered the game from someone else's LJ post)

I got 8 that time. I'm betting I'd get more at MBA
Chris

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Moose & I have memberships at the Aquarium and go there on a regular basis.
Next time you decide to go, let me know, perhaps we can go to.
And fairegoddess, I have "guest of" cards and can bring in two people for free.
(If you look at the memberships, we have a family plus membership because of Me, Jennie, the kids, and additional occassional family members.)
Who Us? Yes, the whole family loves the Aquarium.

[fairegoddess.livejournal.com]

*cackles* Let me know if/when you come down, and I'll happily join you (providing school or work doesn't interfere, of course). :D

[dinogrl.livejournal.com]

Fish are friends! Not food! I love the MBA, and I would love to go down there more often than once in a blue moon. (Vintacon???) Yes, the jellies are wonderful. My first open water dive was in Puget Sound, and I got to play with the giant Octopi. Some are very tolerant, others well, they just remove your mask and regulator if they don't like what's going on. Most are on the shy side, and all are extremely intelligent.

My "tourist outing" tonight was about water too...

[chriso.livejournal.com]

Monterey would be a great Vintacon trip! But you have to be careful in October not to schedule against the big races at Laguna Seca. Hotel rooms are scarce and very expensive - John and I spent a night on a friend's couch one time when the Friends of the Sea Otter foolishly scheduled their annual meeting against the races.

[chriso.livejournal.com]

johno and I are eagerly waiting the arrival of their new River Otter exhibit at the end of March and are planning our next visit at that time. We visit the MB Aquarium at least once every two years. There's always something new to see.

Ooooh, we love Monterey!

[denisen1.livejournal.com]

We try to go with the kids every couple of years (though the last time was when I was pregnant with Abby). Clearly it's time to go again! Can't decide which is my favorite part - the otters, the Outer Bay, or the guy in the scuba suit who swims with and feeds the fishes. All very cool. We like to get a hotel room and spend a couple of days, tour Fisherman's Wharf, go for a bicycle ride, Cannery Row, etc. Let us know next time you go and maybe we'll make it an outing. Ooooh, a big MBA party with our friends - how cool!
Incidental note, last time we were there, we went to the beach, swam in the ocean and a sea lion joined us, poking its head out of the water to keep an eye on what we were up to. Gee, they're cute, but that's a lot of ocean-faring predator swimming close by for comfort . . . Wheeee! 8-)
Glad you had fun!
Denisen