Virginia Aquarium

Our other stop in VA Beach was a trip to the aquarium. It happened to be under construction when we went and with that came limited access to several of the exhibits but the two tide pools were open and those are the parts I was most excited for. I had never had the courage to actually touch a stingray before and figured this was the year. The aquarium is split into two buildings, the first of which has the sharks, rays, fish and other full-time under water animal varieties.

The second building dealt more with the marsh inhabitants and was a mere 3/4 miles away from the first. It was a pretty trail but 3/4 mile tends to get longer when carrying an extra 35 pounds.

As noted in the beach dialog, storms were rolling in and out of the area our entire stay and it was no different during our trip to the aquarium. We made the trek during a break in the rain and about half way, it mentioned something about a tree outlook. Sounding fun, I head down that trail and end up at a four story building that overlooks the marsh in the distance. I start to head up the stairs when I hear John, who has just now made it to the clearing. "You are going to climb that now?". Clueless, I turn around to face him with a "Why not?" "It is a 50 foot metal tower in the middle of a thunder storm. You are on your own with that one". Ah. So, no tree outlook, but we did get to stop in a giant nest and be birds, so I suppose that is something.

This is Joshy when I told him to look scared.

As I said, there was a focus on the marsh theme and what is there in marsh lands but Cordgrass. How do I know this, you ask. Well, I had the pleasure of watching the Cordgrass video with Cordy the Cordgrass a good twelve hundred times. Ben would push the black button, scoot back and then sit himself down on the ground to watch Cordy explain the life cycle of grass through the seasons.
I never did get Joshy to join me in touching a stingray, but Ben, our fearless one, was game. The problem is that they never quite came high enough for me to get his hand on one. There is something just so magical about an aquarium. The fish the size of your torso. The fish that glow. The replica of an underwater exploration vehicle full of a field trip's worth of heat-generating kids. My fondest aquarium memory is in New Orleans. I still remember the feeling of walking into that underwater tunnel and being surrounded by water. It felt like I truly was getting to view a part of the world it was unnatural to see. A visitor into someone elses world. The aquarium in Boston...all I remember is penguins. Monterrey Bay aquarium is such a faint memory that all I can remember is the pool of starfish that you could pick up and hold in your hand. And I remember snakes. A room of snakes and holding a boa constrictor around my neck. And dinosaurs? There is a chance I am combining some memories...

More than anything, I want the boys to be able to experience the same awe and wonder drawn from such a curious and foreign world. Plus, aquariums come with air conditioning, much unlike their cousin the zoo.