Probably my first real activity of the new year since I spent the first few weeks of January adjusting to an increased workload and "vacation hangover" (so-to-speak). The weather forecast called for cold, wind and rain. If it's to be miserable, why not be somewhere interesting?
When we arrived in Monterey, the clouds parted and the sun came spilling down. What a gorgeous day it turned out to be (I heard later that things up north didn't look quite this nice).
The fake one and the real one. Can't recall the kind of crab, but I don't think it's one of the tasty kind.
Doing my best to capture the shadow of the passing shark. Such graceful creatures.
I see you! They had another tank next to this one with the same fish and darker sand, showing how this species of fish could camouflage itself to different environments.
They even had a tank to touch sea creatures. We braved the cold water and poked at a few of the various invertebrates including this starfish.
Moon jellyfish drifting peacefully through the tank. They really do an exceptional job of displaying these creatures and maximizing their beauty.
Sorry Mari, the 10ft long baby gray whale has got you beat...by a wee bit.
The only other time I've made it to the Monterey Aquarium, however many years ago, they hadn't finished setting up the "Secret Lives of Seahorses" exhibit. I'm glad to say I got to see it this time around. Our oceans are filled with such amazing and diverse creatures such as this cool leafy sea dragon.
After seeing all we cared to see in the aquarium, we decided to enjoy the last bits of the beautiful day by checking out the view at the Point Pinos Reservation.
A pic of me in the golden light of the setting sun. This pic
No better way to cap a long day of sightseeing than with a tasty meal. This time, we tried a well rated vegetarian place in Capitola called Dharmas. I'll be the first to admit that vegetarian places often tend not to provide very filling portions. Dharmas breaks that trend by offering massive portions that we couldn't even finish between the two of us (and our usually impressive appetites). Veggie summer rolls, lentil soup and a flavourful stroganoff w/ salad. All delicious and, other than the soup, all unfinished at the end of the meal. Oh well, I had enough for lunch the next day!
Lastly, we ventured back to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse for a quick peek in the evening. Can't really see the lighthouse in all its true glory in this pic, but it looked awesome in person.
Alrighty. Off to bed. Enjoy the pics and I'll do my best to post the next set in decent time. Cheerio!
Posts
3 comments:
Awesome. Was the aquarium right on the beachfront? Hope they had a nice outdoor patio/restaurant to dine while enjoying the sound of crashing waves.
They do have a cafe/restaurant overlooking Monterey Bay. You should come check it out next time you're in the area.
Looks like a fun trip, Adrian! I haven't been down to Monterey in years, but your post inspires me to try to visit again sometime. It is always great fun to see the aquarium. It really is something special.
Post a Comment