The Aquarium

A three-day weekend was much appreciated by this teacher.  The last few weeks of the school year are inevitably exhausting -- I'm assuming more so for me than my students, but maybe it's a draw.  All I know is that it was a joy when Friday afternoon rolled around -- and now I'm girding my loins for tomorrow.

Saturday was a total day off for us.  We took a trip to The Monterey Bay Aquarium with Mama for a belated Mother's Day outing.  On an ordinary Saturday in May the place was packed to the gills (Ha -unintended pun!) with crowds of people -- I can't imagine it more crowded than it was when we were there, but Mother's Day must have been worse.  Despite the overabundance of humanity, we enjoyed ourselves.  There is a new exhibit of octopi, cuttlefish, nautilus and squid that we spent a lot of time in.  One thing I love about this place is that all of the animals seem so comfortable and at ease with their lives behind glass.  Birds, fish, invertebrates, and mammals all are at their ease as they tune out the throng of humanity pressed on the other side of their worlds.

The otters were in rare form.  I've never seen them this playful.  They swooped around their tank with toys in their mouths that they would gleefully bang on the glass from time to time.  They played like aquatic puppies crossed with aquatic kittens.  Happy, happy, happy as they lumbered up onto their rock shelves to plop themselves down onto piles of crushed ice.  Then  off they'd go again to throw themselves back into
the water again.  Rather manic little beasties!





As we approached the noon hour, the crush of humanity continued to increase until finally we had to make our escape.  A short walk from the Aquarium was the Fishhopper, the restaurant we always eat at when we visit Monterey.

As all the people in the universe were stuffed into the Aquarium at that time, we were easily able to get a table with a perfect view of the bay.

Bruce looking gleeful because...

...my meal came with a bib.  It's difficult for most people to look sophisticated while wearing a plastic bib with a giant crustacean on it.  I can tell from Bruce's grin that I was failing miserably at my attempt.  Never mind.  The crab was worth it.