Mini Adventure: Memorial Day

I have been talking about visiting the New England Aquarium since Bobby and I first got together.  I went as a child, many many moons ago.  I am a child at heart when it comes to animals and my family humors me.  Since Bobby and I now have the same holidays off, we I decided it would be a good opportunity to go.

We once again hopped on the red line and headed into the city.  It was cold and damp, but being the trooper I am, I voted we walk the five blocks to the aquarium from our stop on the red line.  We saw the incredibly long line of people waiting to buy their tickets.  Immediate regret.  So I used my phone to immediately buy our tickets and we got to skip the line.  I highly recommend you buy tickets ahead of time for anything you do if possible.  Ever since our first date when we didn't get to see our movie, we have taken that lesson to heart and always preorder our tickets.

I couldn't wait to pet the stingrays.  My mom had to grab my wrist to prevent me from plunging my arm into the tank to pet the first stingray I saw... since that wrist had my Fitbit attached to it.  I started to roll up my sleeve on the other arm, and then I eagerly reached into the tank.  However, I hadn't quite rolled it up far enough and soon my jacket was soaked.  Oh well.  Totally worth it!

My mom gave them a quick pat and Bobby decided to pass, but I could have spent the whole day there honestly.  Admittedly they do feel a tiny bit slimey, but they feel smooth like dolphins do.  They are super friendly and will come right up to the edge of the tank to splash you.  Beware of touching their tails because they're super sensitive and they feel quite dangerous honestly.

We moved on to the various tanks, walking floor to floor.  The lionfish are always impressive and the groupers were MASSIVE.  They looked like the giant dragon that eats the other dragons in How to Train Your Dragon: huge and unfriendly.  

When I was a kid, I used to watch a video about the ocean and one segment was on cuttlefish (which are not so cuddly).  I always thought they were so cool, changing colors like octopuses and their tongues shooting out to catch prey.  The ones in the aquarium made me realize how small they are!

My favorite was a tie between the cowfish and the sea dragons.  The cowfish are so cute!  Their little fins are going as fast as possible, but they still just float along.  They quite literally look like cattle.

I know all about sea horses, but the sea dragons were unlike anything I had ever seen before.  They come in two types: the weedy sea dragon and the leafy sea dragon.  The weedy ones look like muppets!  They are so cool looking and I absolutely fell in love.

The leafy ones are no misnomer.  They blend right into the coral and the anemones.  If I were a fish, I'd swim right by them, thinking they were a branch blowing in the breeze!

They're bizarre but I honestly find them fascinating.  If you're looking for something new to learn about, look them up!

The big tank in the middle of the building is incredible to behold.  Fish of all shapes, colors and sized, eels and turtles are swimming and floating all over the place.  It's an incredible sight to behold.  Myrtle is the biggest turtle I have ever seen and she seems so friendly and peaceful!

My mom seriously cannot stand Fire and Ice, which is a pick-you-own-food place and they grill it on a giant grill in the middle of the restaurant.  I don't love it either but it's an essential experience because it gives you the freedom to pick whatever you'd like.  Bobby had never tried it and my sister loves it, so we let them drag us there.

The floors were sticky, the bathroom was disgusting, the food was mediocre but the company was great and it was a warm place to be after the rainy walk from the aquarium.

On to the next adventure!