Advertisement
Published: October 24th 2013
Edit Blog Post
Jelly Invasion
Vancouver Aquarium October 22, 2013
Our final days in Vancouver. What to do that a) we haven’t already done or b) really want to do again? Steve and Sam head out on roller blades while Matthew and I stick to walking. The trees that line the downtown streets are gorgeous at the moment, especially the Japanese Maple with its beautiful, delicate red leaves.
Matthew and I spend a while selecting a handful of samples before we meet up with Steve and Sam at the Mongolian BBQ on Denman for their fantastic lunch. How we’ll miss the delicious Mongolian BBQ!
Our hunger well and truly sated with a huge bowl of stir-fry, small bowl of rice and one of soup, not forgetting the most delicious spring roll I’ve ever tasted (for just $7.95), we head off to the Vancouver Aquarium.
Knowing the cost of admission the boys haven’t pestered us about going but it’s no secret they’ve wanted to do it. (Picking up the odd brochure and looking longingly at it, using the phrase “it’s for educational ‘porpoises’” etc, etc but not exactly pestering!).
Anyway, the aquarium is cheaper and quieter at this time of the year
Jelly Invasion
Vancouver Aquarium than when we first arrived so we decide to go for it. There’s a blue sky up there somewhere but today a layer of fog obscures it so we rarely get a glimpse. We need a thick sweater though and I’m beginning to wonder whether my thin canvas trousers will see me through to the end of the trip, but apart from that the cool, autumn weather feels good and fresh and we don’t need any better weather than this to wander around an aquarium.
Following our visit to the Zoo in Portland, in my blog I discussed the pros and cons of enclosing animals in such a way and now we find ourselves pondering the same question again. After various shows involving seals, penguins, dolphins, belugas and a 4D feature we were left in no doubt as to how important the cost of our ticket was in providing money for research and conservation – the message was drummed into us - but one of the images I took away was the small size of the Sea Otter enclosure and how nice it would be if our admission could have helped fund a larger one.
However, the two
Jelly Invasion
Vancouver Aquarium Pacific White-Sided dolphins, for example, were rescued from entanglement in fishing nets, which damaged one of the dolphin’s fins so much she had to have part of them removed to prevent her death. The dolphins were declared “unreleasable”, so have been given a home at the aquarium (and put on a wonderful acrobatic display for us!).
Many animals have been given the same opportunity including a sea otter being treated at the moment apparently suffering from gunshot wounds. Just what kind of deranged idiot shoots at a sea otter?
But, once again, I digress. All in all it was a great afternoon and I’m really glad we decided to splash the cash and visit, and if some of our money helps out a cetacean or other sea creature in need of help then it’s money well spent (and if we could remove idiots with guns from society all together that would be really good too).
As well as all the great shows at the aquarium we also got to see the Jelly Invasion exhibition on at the moment and these creatures are quite amazing up close. Especially when behind glass as opposed to brushing against your leg
Vancouver Aquarium in the sea! Apparently more and more jellyfish are appearing in our oceans. Not a nice thought. I was slightly disappointed not to see the infamous, deadly Box Jellyfish and more disappointed still to discover the two members of staff manning the information desk had never even heard of them.
(Just to get something off my chest though – why oh why is Sam a child in every respect except when someone wants to charge an entrance fee? He’s 13. He is not an adult. He cannot work to earn a living; he is completely dependent on us so please all you companies out there, do not ask us to pay for him as if he were an adult. Some places try to get away with it by putting him into a “youth” category (such as the aquarium) but others, such as BC Ferries, don’t even bother with that. When asked at the ferry terminal how many adults are travelling we have to say 3. I have to fight the urge to argue my point! He won’t be an adult for another 5 years. Why am I paying as if he is one now?! (Excuse the rant – one
Sea Otter
Vancouver Aquarium too many Growers Ciders I fear! Another thing I’m going to miss about Canada. They have these great ciders in a whole variety of flavours from Pink Grapefruit to Strawberry Rhubarb to Saskatchewan Berry. Delicious!! But I digress…)
As it is I fight the system today and ask for 2 adults, 2 children at the aquarium. That’s what I have and that’s what I pay for. I just make sure not to mention ages….)
We walk back to our hotel along Georgia and then Alberni because I want to check out the Michaels craft shop at 1022 Alberni. I’m a big fan of Michaels and was amazed to discover, on line, there was even a store downtown. It’s the sort of shop you’d expect to find in an out-of-town mall so I’m impressed to find a large store selling pretty much all their stock (from what I can tell) in the heart of downtown Vancouver. I don’t know how long it’s been on Alberni but if it was here when we lived here then I’m extremely disappointed that I didn’t know anything about it back then!
Back to the Landis hotel and a nice relaxing evening. It’s
Beluga
Vancouver Aquarium a good hotel for doing that in the middle of Vancouver. A room for everyone if we need it and space to spread out!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.104s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 14; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0759s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb