Un Vaso De Agua

I've been really wanting to do something on aquariums.  I've been to several in my lifetime.  Again, I had a poor camera but I'll try to do my best and capture the fun.  While today's focus is on the Monterey Aquarium in California, I'll be presenting some pics from the Chicago Shedd Aquarium and Acquario di Genoa in Italy. There is something very special about being surrounded by huge glass panels with fish big and small swimming around you. 

So I had some fun with my sister and her husband.  They came out to visit and I took them to the California coast for a photo shoot in '98 near Monterey, CA.  I didn't tell them about the rogue wave that pushed itself on shore.  This would become one of my favorite shots ever taken.  My sister's face is priceless.  Today they have this picture framed in their house somewhere:)

I fell in love with the Monterey Bay Aquarium as I had with the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.  But Monterey was special.  Why?  Well, it was here that Star Trek 4 was filmed.  You know....the one about the whales:)

Monterey, Shedd and the Genoa Aquarium all have one thing in common.....dark cool rooms.  Sometimes I just like to sit on the bench and.......stay there for a stretch of time.  But the key for me is to find a place that doesn't have many people around.

This summer, we'll hopefully visit the Shedd Aquarium again.  It has been over 7 years since my last visit to one of these magical places. I like getting older because I learn more and more.  Each time I return for a visit, I "see" things in a new light.  So it'll be fun exploring this wonderful aquarium again.  Coming up on Las Aventuras, more from the garden, space, our Wisconsin adventures, birding, and lots of other fun things!  More tomorrow.....

Taken outside the Acquario di Genoa

"Passing By"

The name of the game today is "Passing By".  On our trip this past summer from Tucson to San Diego, we took the long, and sometimes boring trip on Highway 8 to the Pacific Coast. To make it more exciting, I brought my camera.  The rules for this photography game were simple.  One person drives and the other person snaps pictures.  You can't stop the car or get out of the car BUT you can take pictures from your seat.  Rolling down the window is okay:)  Over the past couple weeks, you've seen some of these "passing by" shots at 1 PM each day.   I'm working on my photography now to improve my work on this blog.

The Imperial Sand Dunes near Yuma

 The Imperial Sand Dunes outside of Yuma.....

 As we entered El Centro, bales of hay were everywhere.

Green, yellow, golden bales of hay.

As we left the El Centro area and entered Alpine.  Trucks could be seen transporting the hay through the windy roads of Highway 8.

As we got higher.....

Massive giant windmills towered over cars and mountain ridges.....

And that's "Passing By".

Above the Clouds....

Being trapped in "the City" (aka San Francisco) was fun but sometimes, in my younger years, I liked to escape.  One of the places that is a great place to hike is Mt. Tam which is right over the Golden Gate Bridge.  It's a fun day and a pretty drive to the top.  On this particular day, the clouds still covered the Bay and we actually rose above the clouds.

It's really something special to see.  A lot of people just bypass this place when visiting.....but I highly recommend the stop.  There are redwoods and oh so much more:)  You can see the city and watch the fog creep in from the ocean....very cool spot to see a lot of things.

Catalina Island

Avalon, Catalina Island

I found some more pics from several other places that are truly amazing to visit in California.  Another trip one can take is out of Dana Point in Southern California to the Catalina Island.  Spend a day or two in the city of Avalon....

Keep your eyes open on the waters to catch some amazing sights of marine life!!

Did you know these guys glowed green in the dark because of a bioluminescent plankton?

Our vessel for the day

My friend Kristen....what an amazing day!!

We practiced putting sails up and down off the coast.

About the plants....thick succulent juicy plants grow around the cliffs similiar to the ice plant. These are plants that can tolerate the salty air, wind, and sandy(or rocky conditions).  These plants do well in Tucson, but only in planters and also protected from our winter frosts. They need plenty of sun:) See example below..

 

To make many of these beautiful plants....snip an end off and stick it in the dirt...that's how easy they grow:) Happy Adventures!!

Big Sur

Notice the waterfall on the left

Ohhhh...the weekend is almost here.  My class starts Saturday at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and I am excited.  So I'm taking a break from the garden talk and into images that excite the imagination for your garden and maybe a place to visit.......

Big Sur is located off of Highway 1 South of Santa Cruz.  There are several trails around the area and if you can, stay a night or two to enjoy the ocean views and waterfall.  I certainly wish I had more time visiting this place.

There are lots of plants to see and some historic places along the ocean that will grab your attention.  I would save this for the Highway 1 trip.  Start off in beautiful Santa Barbara and work north.  Go as far as you can and bring a good camera to take some amazing pics.  Just bring some money as there aren't many gas stations along the way and the ones that are there charge a pretty penny to the fill your empty tank:) Happy adventures wherever they may be...in the garden or on the road:)

My sister and brother-in-law....I waited for that one:) This shot was awesome:)