Back in January, I took it into my head that I was going to visit 50 new places in Vancouver this year as part of what I termed my ‘Resident Tourist’ project.
Well, I quite forgot I’d set a quantitative goal until I found this old post on my other blog today. Oops.
At any rate, the one and only item I consciously listed on my New Places Found in 2010 is the Vancouver Aquarium, where I dragged a few friendly folks to spend my birthday with me earlier this year. Because that is clearly how college kids celebrate their birthdays these days.
Located in the middle of beautiful Stanley Park (another place I’ve yet to sufficiently explore!), the Aquarium has quite the extensive, impressive showcase of marine and non-marine life. Particular favourites of mine were the jellyfish, the beluga whales and the sea otters.
Photo taken by my friend-turned-personal photographer for the day.
I wish now that I’d been to see the beluga calves last year when they were still babies! They were still very sweet and desiring of love and attention, despite being larger when I saw them. All the time I was watching them, they were rubbing against their trainer for attention, so she ended up dedicating a hand apiece to patting each of them.
Funnily enough, it was only after I went to the Aquarium that one of my friends — who’s not even in Canada! — introduced me to the VanAqua sea otters famous on YouTube for their hand-holding (or, I suppose, paw-holding would be the correct term).
It’s a really adorable video and worth watching the whole thing if you haven’t seen it. (I’m told this is a small chance, but it’s a chance nonetheless!)
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno]
The Vancouver Aquarium is open 365 days a year; it’s currently operating under winter hours, which means 9:30 AM-5:00 PM. Tickets are $21 for adults, $16 for seniors, youths aged 13-18 and students, and $13 for children aged 4-12 (HST not included).
It’s definitely fun for the family, and I wouldn’t mind going again!
