Fish are friends, not food

As many of you may know, Callie and I are quite the fans of an aquarium.  Whether it's in Georgia or New Orleans, we like the chance to observe the graceful and exotic animals and environments that live in the world's waters.  As a result, we spent the better part of today in the Sydney Aquarium.  

I should mention that today's opportunity was actually the result of a very thoughtful wedding present from a friend of mine (thanks Webb), and it was precipitated by an invitation from another friend, Dom Blahut.  Dom had inquired if we wanted to go to the aquarium while we were living with his family, and so we agreed upon this Sunday.  The aquarium sits in in a lovely part of the city called Darling Harbour, which is home to the Sydney Imax, plenty of trendy clubs and restaurants, and a fleet of beautiful private yachts.  We enjoyed an early lunch, while celebrating Grant Hackett's 1500m performance, and spent the early afternoon in the aquarium.

While it isn't nearly as large or new as the Georgia Aquarium, it does have quite a few impressive exhibits from across Australia.  I won't burden any of you with any further details or descriptions, but I will say that we did see the largest skate/stingray that God has ever created: it was estimated to weight almost 1000 pounds, was almost 10 feet wide, and looked as if it could suck your head off.  

After the aquarium, we returned home to watch some of the Olympic coverage and to prepare for the coming week.  Callie will be working on cream puffs and eclairs, which means that we will definitely have to do extra laps in the pool- as swimming is something that we have taken to since our arrival.  And for me, things are pretty normal.  Between studying and reading and going to class, there is plenty to do; all while taking the time to enjoy the opportunities of the city.