Salinas, CA
During this time of Covid,
a lot of the places we like to go
have been shut down.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one such place.
When I lived in this area decades ago,
I would take my kids there.
Now that we're back in the area,
we became members,
and the aquarium opened up for members only
from May 1 to May 14.
Tickets are 'free' for members,
but must be reserved online.
It made it much less crowded than normal.
George and I drove over for our time,
Thursday at 10 am.
We stood in line,
and were quickly ushered in.
One of the coolest parts of this aquarium
is the kelp forest.
It's an incredible window to what it might look like
under the surface of the bay.
There are different areas of the aquarium,
showcasing marine life in the Monterey bay.
Of course the sea otters are always a favorite..
This guys seems to be taking a nap.
Another area shows life at the bottom of the sea..
sand dollars..
skate..
and the Bat Ray..
One area that is quite colorful is the anenomes..
They are quite beautiful as well.
I think our favorite area are the Jellyfish!
They are mesmerizing!
We could sit and watch them for hours!
There is also an area to showcase African Penguins.
Although there are none in Monterey bay,
they live in a climate similar to this.
Some more colorful birds and fish..
The entrance to the aquarium has some
cool whale sculptures..
In addition, there are sections that explain
about the Salmon that are caught in the bay.
George is learning about how they are used
in restaurants all around the world.
There are lots of fishing boats
bringing the salmon back in.
We certainly enjoyed getting back to
seeing the things this area has to offer.
If you are ever in this area,
it's not to be missed!
