The Texas State Aquarium.
…Oh my gosh you guys. I cannot tell you how much I love this place. I have learned so much about fishies and other critters there it’s just. Whoa. I love it. If I lived here, you can bet I would be volunteering there. In a friggin’ heartbeat.
And it’s not just fishies/critters I learn about there. I always leave that place feeling better about the world, and myself. There’s just so much energy surrounding the building that I can’t help but smile the whole time I’m there—much like the stingrays they keep!
I’ve always thought that stingrays look like they’re constantly smiling. It’s just how their mouth is shaped. That’s why I collect Stingray stuff. They’re like little reminders of one of my most important personal beliefs: Always do your best to be happy. Have fun in whatever you do, and keep smiling! Even if you get kicked in the head by someone who doesn’t know how to do the Stingray Shuffle!
Back to the aquarium, though. Our visits there are not often very different from the others. I know every word of every show they have, I know exactly when to raise my hand to be called up as a possible volunteer, and I know the answer to every trick-question the keepers ask their audiences. But even if I can anticipate exactly how my day will go at the TSA, I still love to go and watch the animals. Every single one of them is beautiful in their own way. I could sit and watch them forever. Not to mention the other visitors. It’s great to watch both children and adults opening up and having fun by getting up close and personal with a tortoise or a baby alligator. It’s just really great, guys. All over great.
Although, there was one moment of my day that is quite worthy of a mention(and a video):
One of the shows they do there is a sort of exhibit of creatures from all over the world. An african serval, a barn owl, couple different kinds of hawks, a turkey vulture, some mice, and many more. At one point in this show the keepers ask for an adult volunteer (a rarity, most volunteers called are children). Specifically, an adult volunteer with a camera. Now, I’d forgotten my camera at home, but I did have my phone with me that has both a regular camera and a video camera. Despite the large crowd, when the call came out for a brave volunteer, only myself and one other young lady raised their hands. I suppose my hand went up first because I was called (of course, I also knew what was coming, too).
I came onto the stage and was asked to sit on a little stump and keep my camera ready. I did so, and…well, check out the footage I got:
{Hey guys, present-day Kiara here. Technical difficulties (my computer and phone won’t play nice and share videos together) prevent me from sharing my cool video with you. Sorry about that. As you can see, Past-Kiara wrote around what was hopefully going to be an uploaded video inserted here. Oh well, she is a rather good summarizer, if I do say myself.}
As you can see, Xander, a Harris Hawk, flew directly over my head and over the crowd to perch over near the keeper. Then, turning around, he immediately flew extremely close to my head and landed on another perch right behind me. Mom got a picture of the bird sitting over my head as I ready my camera to get another shot of him flying around some more:
I was told I didn’t even flinch, and the bird came closer to my head than expected. Of course, this was because I knew the worst he might do is bump into me. I’ve learned over the years to trust the keepers, and I’ve learned what creatures they keep are aggressive, and which aren’t. And most are not. Most of the critters at the TSA don’t want to hurt you unless you’ve hurt them, so I wasn’t the least bit worried about Xander trying to claw my eyes out or anything.
It’s because of that mentality that it continues to surprise me when people refuse to pet the baby alligators simply because they’re afraid of them.
It’s perfectly safe, the gator is being held by a keeper who will keep it under control, which is absurdly easy because the gators they bring out to be petted are very small. So long as you don’t put your fingers near their mouth they won’t hurt you (and let’s face it, doing that would be a stupid thing to do).
I suppose I’m just more comfortable around dangerous animals than most individuals who aren’t trained to handle them? o_O
And now, more pictures!!
I forget what kind of eel this is, but there were like...fifty of them just hangin' out in the sand.
Needlefish!
I love stingrays so muuuuch. <3 They're horrible to try and take pictures of, though. so speedy~
Hellooooo!!!! <3
Despite the crappy phone quality, I like this picture. (It's a shark, if you can't tell)
One of the eels in the Flower Gardens tank decided to come out of his hidey-hole and swim. I have *never* seen them do that, but it was soooooo cool to watch.
More of my attempts to actually take a picture of a Stingray "Smile".
This is a Cownose Ray, by the way. My favorite. They seem to look the happiest. <3 this guy almost looks like he wants a hug. d'awww.
Romaine Lettuce, AKA: Fishfood. om nom nom, angelfish?
If you can see it, there's a Barracuda in this picture. His name's Bullet.
This diver is crazy. An eel could bite off your bare hand, and she spent several minutes feeding them bits of Squid barehanded. She's been doing this for ten years or more, though, so she knows how to handle them (I'm sad I didn't get a chance to ask her what petting an Eel feels like!)
Underwater view of two of the aquarium's dolphins. They were total camera hogs.
Another one of the dolphins, posing for the crowd.
This eagle was standing so still, I didn't even see it at first. Which is a wonder since they're a lot bigger than I expected them to be.
I wonder if he likes fruit loops...
I'm not sure what sort of hawk this is (It could be Xander, I forgot to ask), but he suuure was pretty up close.
Once again, dunno what kind of hawk this is, but I strategically put my clothes in danger by sitting under his perch *just* to get this shot.
The Aquarium's residant African Serval. His name was either Keemani or Peabody... They sound kinda similar through a speaker system, apparently.
A tortoise, making a desparate break for freedom. Just a few more yards!!!
Dang! Foiled again!
Last but not least, yours truly, hitching a ride on the back of one of the huge Whale figures rising out of the bricks outside the aquarium.
Well, that’s all! Or at least, all that came out well. I took roughly 90 pictures throughout the whole day. Those are just the good ones.
About the only other thing I can say from today was that I came home with quite a good haul from the gift shop. A new Sting Ray necklace (now, my favorite Rays are of the Cownose variety, however it seems that the only type anyone ever wants to make jewelry or plushies from is the Southerns and Atlantics. :/ *shrug*), a set of earrings, and a cool anklet with bells on it!
Weirdest thing ever: For some reason, only I can hear those bells. Or at least hear them *well*. Neither of my parents can hear the bells jingling as I walk, and they can only barely hear them when they’re in their own hands! At first I thought they were just going deaf or something, but when I tried to record the ringing with my cell phone, it couldn’t pick up the audio no matter how close I put the bells to the mic. I hear them loud and clear!
Maybe when I get home I’ll get some second opinions. It’s pretty dang weird, though.
Aanyway. G’bye for now!
*K
