Aquarium of the Americas

Today I and my boys were among the first in line for the grand reopening of the Auqarium in downtown New Orleans. This has always been a great aquarium, and many in the city and region have mourned the loss of all of our fishes and sharks and etc.

It was a little emotional to walk through the tanks knowing that these were all replacement fish. Even my young children knew that. They were very excited to see the divers giving high fives and feeding broccoli to the tropical fish. I had a hard time dragging them up the stairs to see the penguins, who arrived this week from their temporarty home in Monterey Bay Aquarium back to us. They arrived to a jazz band and purple carpet--Ben cut that picture out of the paper and made a collage.

Anyway, I don't have anything interesting to say about the experience. I was surprised not to see any press there. By comparison, when the zoo first opened and we were waiting outside, I think there were more reporters than visitors. So many people and communities contributed fish or money for fish to our institution--Thanks.