Oceanographic Museum

After a night of licking our wounds about being taken like babies in a candy store, we began the day anew with renewed energy and.....who's kidding who?  We got up around 10:30 and caught the bus to go to the (what I will forever call) scene of the crime.  We had already purchased expensive tickets for the Oceanographic Center and we were going to see it.  But, I must tell you I kept my eyes pealed for the dastardly duo (nowhere in sight) and was planning all kinds of ways of apprehending them.  Fortunately, for me, and for you, they were not there and I did nothing stupid.

As you could see from yesterday's photos this place is gorgeous from the outside.  Another perfect 74 degree day.

Fortunately, I was not one of the teachers taking in 60 million little kids to the museum.  Those days are over for good, I hope.

The museum is divided into 8 Climate zones:  Mediterranean Sea, Wetlands, Temperate, Tropical, The Red Sea, Antarctic and Arctic, General oceans.  Each one sort of an area of its own.  Huge, huge, huge, aquariums and tunnels, etc. with fish swimming all around.  I am not going to be able to name all the fish and mammals we saw but here are some.  Amazing place.

organs of a turtle, in case anyone is interested

Jellyfish

I think this is a seal

Japanese Spider Crab

Human:  Drinking Coke light

mussels - yum

Sea lions - they were lots of fun to watch

sea lions playing

Jerry figured out the water machine!!!!

Flowers are gorgeous

Dolphin tank

Flamingos

Sea Turtle

Sea Dragon

I cant remember what this is, but it was cool.

Seal

Beluga Whale

Walrus- So HUGE

Life sized photo of a whale and little bitty Jerry

Sharks

Tunnel with sharks all around

Mother whale nursing her baby.

Wetlands

Scarlet Ibis

A pretty impressive collection.  Saw thousands of more things, but these are the best pics.  Then we went over to the science museum, which is like all wonderful hands on science museums on steroids.  It is huge, and had we had more energy, or some kids with us it could have been a day in itself.

One cool thing outside on the plaza of the science museo were these big bubbles that you could pay 5 euro to roll around in.  Looked like fun but we didn't try it.  Kids were having a blast.

They blow them up with a leaf blower

Jerry and I both thought this could be our next million (ok, our first million) at Breezy Point.  American kids would love this!  Always thinkin'. I mean, how much could these things cost?

Anyway, we rode the bus back home, happy and content and with all our belongings today.  We stopped for a slice of what the Spanish call pizza but really it is....BAD. and a fresh orange juice that they squeeze for you right there.  Came back to rest and are now planning dinner out.  Fallas celebrations are starting to heat up.  We are seeing more and more people in the city, and more carrying on....We leave on Monday, which will be just about right for us.  

Pickpockets and pockets picked

Well, as you can tell from the title we fell victim to a very common crime in tourist areas today.  You read about it, you guard against it, and it happens before you know it.  Here is what happened.

Started the day as usual, a little slow, but decided it was such a glorious day we would go to the Oceanographic Museum.  Largest aquarium in the world, but also a big I MAX theater and science museum, etc. etc. etc.  It is the crown jewel of Valencia, and we were going to tackle it.  We bused down to near the park and started walking this beautiful esplanade with all these beautiful buildings.

on the way we saw flowers, flowers, flowers!

The new performing arts building next to the Oceanographic.

see my purse.  Little, right in the front, safe.  Uh-huh!

literally, no one there!

very few people there 

Part of the biosphere

flowers blooming

on the left the science museum, right ahead is the Oceanographic museum

So we're walking down this beautiful space, meet some lovely people from the Netherlands who take our picture, we take theirs, we visit a little about Valencia, then we go on.

purse, right there in the front.  Safe.  

Again, hardly anyone there.

Right before we go into the museum is a plaza that has all kinds of cool sundials and such, so we stop to look around.  Each one reads the sun a little differently, but it was all basic earth/sun relationship stuff that we both taught, so it was interesting.

Another youngish couple is there too.  Then WHAM I am hit in the back with something wet.....That's weird. I ask Jerry if he can see anything, "No", I said, " I think that lady just squirted me with something."  But then she came up to me and said, "Oh, a bird just pooped on your back"  I reached to the back of my shirt and sure enough green goo was on my hand.  She said, "Oh, you have to get it off or it will stain, there is some water up there in the Biosphere."  She and her "husband" strike up a conversation while we are walking to the garden, where are you from?, Oh we're from Mexico, we are neighbors, etc.  Then the husband says I have some baby wipes in my bag, so he starts rubbing my back and hair, then says that Jerry has some on his back too.  I look and sure enough the same green goo is on his shoulder.  He gives me a wipe, he is wiping, I am wiping, his wife is wiping my back.  Conversation, conversation.  Jerry has some in his hair, I have more in my hair, Jerry now has some on his slacks in the back (looking for his wallet, which was in his front pocket, thankfully not the back). They just kept putting more goo on until they got something.  My purse has slipped to the back of me, They finish, we are grateful for the help  and leave.  My wallet out of my little brown purse is GONE, Purse is still there.  I noticed it right away, but they were gone.  Jerry and I tried to chase them down but they were pros, disappeared into the sunlight.

One of the funny things is that I have a photo of them, behind Jerry on one of the sundials.

Way in the back you can see them.  I have enlarged it here.

Dirty stinkers! America's most wanted!

Fortunately for us, we were not hurt (other than getting a lot of green salsa Verde on our clothes and in our hair).  They got one debit card (Which is cancelled now) 60 euros in cash, my blue cross card and my driver's license (which I don't think they can do anything with).  Could be a lot worse.  We found a security guard right away, he reported it to the police and then got us a cab to go to the police station where we filed a report.  Everyone was so nice to us (except the thieves) but we just came home, cleaned up and are staying in tonight.  We will try the oceanographic tomorrow.

Lessons learned:  Crazy distractions usually mean you are going to be targeted.  This sort of thing doesn't necessarily happen in crowds.  If someone touches you they are not doing it out of the goodness of their heart.  Don't carry much on you (We leave almost everything at the apartment) The police are your friends, and 60 euros is a good price for a great story!!!!

So, not everything is perfect on our trip, but we are not letting it get us down.  We have another debit card for another account, and I'm not driving anywhere soon.  They didn't get my passport, or "real" credit cards, They didn't get Jerry's wallet (they were sure trying), and no one was injured.  Pretty good outcome, I guess.