The One with Sea World San Diego

Yesterday was a long and fun day! Thanks to the Army and Air Force, we got free tickets to Sea World San Diego so the Bybees picked us up in the AM and we made the two hour trek down south. I've never been to San Diego, but we'll definitely be going back one of these days to do a session though this beauty of a temple!

We arrived a little after the park opened and got right in.

I bet this looks so festive all lit up at night!

First event: the dolphin show!

It was probably my favorite of the four shows that we saw throughout the day, what with all the acrobats and costumes and music.

Not to mention the dolphins performed amazing tricks!

Next we walked through the shark tanks. This is as close as I ever want to be to a shark. Shudder.

Look at the size of this prehistoric shark jaw! T'would not be a fun way to go...

Family picture time!

Next we saw a pet show. I was like, why would I come to Sea World to see dogs and cats and birds when I can just go home and see my own zoo? :)

But it was actually really fun and entertaining!

I spy with my little eye, a cat tight rope walking!

I spy with my little eye a cat climbing across a rope upside down!

Pretty trees outside our lunch spot.

Our other friends the Kimballs and their three little girls met up with us at lunch. We got a meat sampler platter.

Then we walked through the turtle exhibit where scuba divers were feeding them lettuce and thousands of other marine life gathered around to partake.

In the gift shop I was instantly mesmerized by the jellyfish. I could stare at these things for hours! Are they legal pets?

'Member these things?

There was a time 15 years ago when I would have been in a tizzy to get my hands on this Beanie Baby!

Then we saw the Shamu killer whale show.

Half the show consisted of the killer whales dousing the audience. We sat in the very last row to get some shade and feel the breeze. And to avoid getting wet :)

Hooray!

The final show we saw was the sea lions.

I only got one good picture of a sea lion doing tricks - found in the photo collage below.

Then we took a quick detour to Alaska. Well, not really, but it felt and looked like it!

"Baby beluga in the deep blue sea. Swim so wild and you swim so free..." Gotta love some Raffi!

Next we walked through the penguin village. These are such funny little rotund creatures!

For some reason we decided to go on Atlantis at the end of the day instead of the beginning. Chris, Blake, and I got super duper soaked! So much for avoiding the "splash zones" at all the shows haha.

We all got cooked to a crisp from being in the sun for 10 hours. Even with multiple applications of sunscreen!

Here are some more of the animals we saw, collaged together to save some space:

From top left to bottom right: Dolphins are so nice and playful it seems! I want one :) Sleeping polar bear. A sea lion balancing a ball on its nose. Sharks, sharks, and more sharks everywhere! A giant something. Pretty jellyfish. Sunbathing sea lion. Killer whales. A beluga whale.

Hopefully soon Fox will love animals as much as I do and get a kick out of going to the zoo and such!

Good fun, good friends, good times!