Jan 29 2009
Fishies, I want to see the fishies
What is it about an aquarium that fascinates us so? San Diego has a pretty little aquarium on a hill above the ocean that’s connected to the University. It’s called the Stephen Birch Aquarium. The four of us got in for $27 total. What a deal!
When our children were little I would take them to the older version. It was more of a work/study place then. You could get in to see the fish for a donation. There was a wide step next to the viewing windows, and my kids would get on that step and put their noses to the glass and start looking, calling out their finds, and nudging each other for the best spot.
Yesterday, we were at the new, smashingly beautiful aquarium and it was wonderful. On a Wednesday afternoon there were only a few people. We could see what we wanted to for as long as we liked. Our company is from western Pennsylvania and they loved it. I think they identified each fish personally with the names given on the panels above the windows. We were there for hours!
Before we left we went outside to see the tide pools. I don’t find them particularly interesting, but little children do. They like to climb up the rocks and hang by their bellies trying to touch the inhabitants. “Touch them with only one finger” the attendant calls. Then he offers to bring something up so they can see it up close. He takes a clear box, fills it with water and tells the kids, “I can bring up that one - or that one.” Pretty soon he has a starfish and a hermit crab of goodly size in the box and they are all on the ground pushing each other for a good view and touching them.
One small boy distained it all. He went to the climb-on exhibit, captured a plastic starfish, and walked around the area chewing on its legs. I was trying not to think of the number of germs he was ingesting, but he was happy and quiet and his parents didn’t intervene.
The attendant stood up, looked out on the ocean and called “Whales, there are whales passing by!” By then the sun was beginning to set and we shielded our eyes and looked out on the shiny sea. There were black spots out there. Were they whales? I know that you can sight whales from the cliffs along the coast. I believe him when he says there are whales out there.
“I saw one spout!” another person cries. We all squint trying to see it, but I just step back and enjoy that gorgeous view of the setting sun shining on the water.
Our company loved it all.
Marilynne 
