The Churami Aquarium

So yesterday we had to get up early. We had a big day ahead of us. We were going to the Churami Aquarium, second biggest aquarium in the world. We got there around ten thirty or so after hitting up the local family mart. We bought our tickets there because it was cheaper. That and we got coupons. There was also a winning ticket that one a thermos cup that doubled as a water bottle from the aquarium gift shop. That was cool. Saved 570 yen. Once we got there we went in and the view was amazing. Stairs after stairs leading down to one of those sidewalk fountains that squirted water in various patterns. In the background was an island with a rock that looked like a volcano. The water being a teal blue crashing onto the beaches. It was windy and overcast and you could feel rain droplets every so often but it didn't downpour. We thought we were lost but ended up talking to a lady that didn't speak very much English and she pointed us in the right direction.

The entrance was pretty standard.The first exhibit was a petting zoo type area where you could feel starfish and other sea creatures. Afterwards we started in the upper coral reef area. There were blue fish. Angel Fish that ranged from striped white and black to yellow. As we walked further down we got more and more into the deeper reef areas. There was a sea turtle, sharks, humphead wrasses, blowfish, etc. In fact, to save time I will just give a general overview list of the fish I saw in these tanks.

• Bicolor parrot fish
• Sapphire Devil
• Horned Starfish
• A lazy shark of sorts (there is an official name but I forget)
• Plus a whole bunch of other fish
  that would take a long time to name

We then got lower into the reefs. We saw giant lobsters that appeared to be over two feet in length. They were Painted Spiny Lobsters. Then we saw various smaller tanks that had crabs, clown fish, lionfish, sea horses and various other fish.

The next room is what makes the aquarium to be able to boast as being the second biggest in the world. It has the second largest single pane viewing class in the world. It was thick, about 600 plus millimeters thick. They had giant Manta rays, and whale sharks. That was amazing to see. There was an area where you could go under the tank and look up at the fish swimming over head.

Then we hit the end of the trail through there by going into the gift shop. I was going to get something from there but as always the only things they have in gift shops. Trinkets and stuffed animals. I don't mind looking at the stuff, but it's kind of hard to buy the stuff. Especially when I have all the pictures I've taken to make up for it.So far the picture count is 1,600 or so. Anywho, we hit up some food then went to the dolphin tanks where they were doing a dolphin show. We saw that and those mammals can shoot up high in the air. Afterwards we went to see the sea-turtles. They were draining the sea-turtle tanks to clean them but not before one of the turtles swam over to check me out. Then we checked out the Manatees. They were cool. One just liked to do barrel roll after barrel roll around the tank.

We hit up the dream center, which was a big flower area. Think lots of green houses with a lot, and by a lot I mean flowers covered everything. But I will probably come back here and link to Maddie's blog when she writes more about it. Not that it wasn't awesome, but she's into flowers and such a bit more.

We finished off the day with a Restaurant that was called Pizza in the Sky. It was a nice little place with an amazing view. Basically, when you ordered pizza, or salad, you got the salad of the day, or the pizza of the day. No ordering your own toppings and so forth. The pizza was made with loads of cheese and various meats. It even had corn on it, which was my first time with that vegetable on a pizza. It was really tasty. I also got to try sake for the first time. It was an apricot sake, and it was really strong, but tasted really good. Sometimes it had a cough medicine after taste to it, but I managed to drink most of it with help from Maddie and her parents.

We drove home and passed out early that night because we were exhausted from a day of walking.

I have more to post in the next few days on the Awase Fish Market, the Vegetable Market and castle storming and I could do it now, but I think it would be best if I broke it into chunks. So stay tuned.