Life: Idiotropic

 It looked like just another ordinary day at the Oceanografic.  It was supposed to rain.  We had out of town guests.  The kids were out of school.  We needed something to do.

This was easy.  I expected nothing.  I'd shoot a few photos.  Nothing special.

But that's not really possible, is it?  Nothing is really that ordinary.  Nothing is ever really exactly the same twice.

Today we began the same and followed our same usual route.  It was fairly typical until we got to the shark exhibit where the sea turtle is usually absent. 

Today he was back and busy.  He swam all around the large circular room close to the glass so everyone could see him, then down the long tunnel and around the next large circular room before returning to the first.  We followed him.  The girls were entranced.  Arianna demanded I take photos.  I obliged.

 The route continued.  We saw the walruses and the belugas.  They did their usual laps.  I thought passing through the stench of the penguin room would be quick.  The penguins, after all, are smelly and quite boring.  They either stand there like statues or just float around.


It appeared that I was right... but then these two kept staring at me.  They stared at everyone bobbing their headed up and down in the water to see which view was better, from underwater or from behind the droplet splattered glass.

They kept my attention long enough for the show to begin.  Not one that was planned by the Oceanografic, but one that the penguins seemed to enjoy.  A high speed chase of Hollywood proportions.  Ultrasonic speeds, lightening quick turns on a dime,  up and down with such speed and fluidity that it was almost as if they were weaving the water with long smooth stiches, up and down, in and out.

From there another first:  a bird show in the dolphin area keeping us entertained until the usual dolphin/trainer show began.  That was normal.

But after at the sea lion exhibit we saw three pairs of nursing babies with their mothers.  That was sweet. 

And then more babies in the tropical area... this time a jellyfish the size of a quarter.


And a supersized starfish showing off on the glass.

And the first time that we've ever had the patience to actually stand in line long enough to enter the bird exhibit where you are close enough to these beautiful birds to touch them though you don't, but they stand there next to you and don't even flinch as you get near.  It's really amazing.


 Just another day at the Oceanografic.  One when the lighting was just perfect... for one fleeting second.  And I caught it.