Monterey Bay Aquarium
One of my favorite vacations was our visit to Monterey, California. Being obsessed with the ocean and every living creature in it I always enjoy visiting the coast. Monterey is especially nice for marine life fanatics because of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I could literally spend days in that place just watching the fish and learning about sea life. I was never more grateful to have a digital camera with a gigabyte of memory. I took hundreds of photographs until they kicked us out at closing time. The sharks were plentiful and it was a special treat when feeding time came around because we got to watch the scuba divers feed the sharks. The sea otters were a big hit with the kids, all the antics and playful performances made my kids laugh and squeal with delight.
The most amazing part for me however was the Jellyfish tanks. Yea, I know they use special lighting and everything but that was one of the most stunning and beautiful displays I have ever seen. The hushed atmosphere and the dimmed lights added to the reverence of the experience. It bordered on being hypnotic observing them floating weightless in the brilliant blue. Taking pictures was tricky because of the black lights and other factors. Flashes were basically useless making the jellyfish all but disappear. I did get a few pictures to turn out but nothing can compare to being there. I hope to get back there someday and spend a few days.