Kerfuffle-to-Go: Down to Monterey

Friday, September 11, 2009

Down to Monterey

Diane, a long-time friend from Yakima Washington, flew in yesterday evening. The following morning, Starbucks stoked, we were off to the Monterey coast. It is always a pleasant drive down to Monterey, that I've taken a thousand times since my other friend Barbara moved down that way in the mid 1980s. This morning's drive reminded me of the first time I went there, when the rear of my dear old Honda Civic contained dozens of paper bags. The bags contained a hundred or so parakeets, home reared by Barb's one time husband, Bob. My Honda toodled along, dead quiet, that is until I would stop, and the birds burst out of their silence, wings flapping, paper bags rising up, shrieking their dismay over their forced move. Ah, the good old days!

On our way south, we had a quick stop at Barbara's because she was generous enough to loan us the use of her guest passes for the Monterey Aquarium. Then Diane and I were off for Di's first visit to the world famous Aquarium. We had a great time touring the amazing gigantic tanks with bizarre creatures of watery realms.

Sorry - you see, I took a b'jillion photos and videos you will have to put up with. First up, my oh-so-loved, JELLIES, JELLIES and more JELLIES!

First up, Lion's Mane Jellies - They wiggle, they jiggle & they sting like the dickens!

♪♫ I'm being followed by a moon jelly, moon jelly, moon jelly, leaping and hopping with a moon jelly, moon jelly moon jelly...♪♫

Next up, Purple-stripped Jellies.

And now for some self-lit, neon-sign inspired Lobe-combed Jellies - the original Christmas window lights.

And now for some plain fishies, and loads of bright and amazing anemones.

The stars of the Aquarium these days are exotic Sea Dragons, which are all animal but look all vegetative - Beautiful and Bizarre.

The remaining are still shots, but are every bit as beautiful - little shadow boxes out of the oceans of the world.