Elli's favorite toys, by far, are her squeezable bath toys. She loves to chew on these guys, and Shamu the Orca Whale is definitely her preferred sea creature. So as we've planned our trip to Sea World, we tell her we're going to see the real Shamu.
Well, this weekend, we finally did! And boy, was it worth it! I confess, I wasn't really sure what to expect, and felt sure that I would inevitably be disappointed. Fortunately, I was very wrong! We did not go on any of the rides this time, but the exhibits, aquarium, and shows were all lots of fun!
Our first stop of the day was the stables where they keep the clydesdales. Huh... horses, you say? Yup. Since Sea World is owned by Anheuser-Busch, the have the Budweiser horses and wagons. They are beautiful animals... I only wish they could have been outside so we could see them better, but it was way too hot for them. We took a picture anyway for my grandma.
At the dolphin pool, you could pay to feed the dolphins, but we decided to just watch this time. They are such beautiful, playful creatures, and it was amazing to be so close! I was so excited that Elli seemed aware of them, too!
One of the highlights for all three of us was the shark aquarium. Daniel's thesis project was an aquarium/spa in Norway, so we enjoyed discussing the architecture and design aspects, and Elli really enjoyed watching the fish and sharks! Unfortunately, our pictures didn't come out, but we have a video I will try to upload (I still haven't figured out how to do that on this computer!) Her eyes intently followed the sharks swimming by.
After the aquarium we headed to our first show, the much anticipated Shamu! Elli patiently chewed on the map while we were indoctrinated about our responsibility to save "Mother Earth" one orca whale at a time. :)
Shamu!!!
Okay, I think this would be seriously exhilarating! The whales would push the trainers underwater and then raise them up to this position. It was awesome!
After Shamu we found a shady spot for lunch, and Elli took a little nap in my arms (one of my favorite moments of the day!). Our picnic spot afforded us a partial view of the water ski show. Next time I think we'll try to see the real show.
Our final stop of the day was the Viva! show. The best part was the dolphins, but there were also acrobats, synchronized swimming, and some very odd booty shaking. I still haven't figured out why on earth that was included in the performance. There is nothing entertaining about swimmers dressed up in wet suit bird outfits shaking their rears at the audience. Seriously.
Overall, we had a blast and will definitely be attending again, especially as Elli gets older! I think she honestly did enjoy all of the different shows and animals we saw, but I can't wait until she can tell us!
Well, this weekend, we finally did! And boy, was it worth it! I confess, I wasn't really sure what to expect, and felt sure that I would inevitably be disappointed. Fortunately, I was very wrong! We did not go on any of the rides this time, but the exhibits, aquarium, and shows were all lots of fun!
Our first stop of the day was the stables where they keep the clydesdales. Huh... horses, you say? Yup. Since Sea World is owned by Anheuser-Busch, the have the Budweiser horses and wagons. They are beautiful animals... I only wish they could have been outside so we could see them better, but it was way too hot for them. We took a picture anyway for my grandma.
At the dolphin pool, you could pay to feed the dolphins, but we decided to just watch this time. They are such beautiful, playful creatures, and it was amazing to be so close! I was so excited that Elli seemed aware of them, too!
One of the highlights for all three of us was the shark aquarium. Daniel's thesis project was an aquarium/spa in Norway, so we enjoyed discussing the architecture and design aspects, and Elli really enjoyed watching the fish and sharks! Unfortunately, our pictures didn't come out, but we have a video I will try to upload (I still haven't figured out how to do that on this computer!) Her eyes intently followed the sharks swimming by.After the aquarium we headed to our first show, the much anticipated Shamu! Elli patiently chewed on the map while we were indoctrinated about our responsibility to save "Mother Earth" one orca whale at a time. :)
Shamu!!!
Okay, I think this would be seriously exhilarating! The whales would push the trainers underwater and then raise them up to this position. It was awesome!
After Shamu we found a shady spot for lunch, and Elli took a little nap in my arms (one of my favorite moments of the day!). Our picnic spot afforded us a partial view of the water ski show. Next time I think we'll try to see the real show.
Our final stop of the day was the Viva! show. The best part was the dolphins, but there were also acrobats, synchronized swimming, and some very odd booty shaking. I still haven't figured out why on earth that was included in the performance. There is nothing entertaining about swimmers dressed up in wet suit bird outfits shaking their rears at the audience. Seriously.
Overall, we had a blast and will definitely be attending again, especially as Elli gets older! I think she honestly did enjoy all of the different shows and animals we saw, but I can't wait until she can tell us!
1 comment:
So sweet! I love that Elli got to meet Shamu. He is my favorite animal of all time:) Did you get wet? He is quite the splasher. We should go there when Evan and I come visit:) Love you so much!
Mckay
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