A brief, first, travel and photo essay about sea life
By James K. Bashkin © 2008, all rights reserved.
A penguin island, fresh green eel, some serious blue color, and much more awaits you at the Boston Aquarium, found in downtown Boston, on the waterfront.
The Boston Aquarium makes for a great family trip (I quite like it on my own, too). Though not inexpensive, the Aquarium is worth the cost of admission if that isn't a burden. Not only can you enjoy the permanent exhibit, but you can also leave from the aquarium for whale watching voyages and related boat trips.
The last time we visited, there was a special exhibit on jellyfish. The jellyfish were much 
more remarkable than the poor quality of my attempts to photograph them would indicate, so those photos are mostly for bloopers only. Here is one picture of jellyfish and one of a mock-up. The transparent nature of the jellyfish, and their patterns of propulsion through the water, made for a curious sight. It was hard to believe that these things were alive!
I have had some success with a polarizing filter to cut the glare from a flash on glass walls in the past, but I didn't have all of my gear with me. On the other hand, I didn't forget any family members, so, on balance, we were in the plus column!
After passing through the (optional) special exhibit, the entryway to the Boston Aquarium brings you right to a delightful penguin exhibit and the to bottom of the large, cylindrical tank that holds the fish and
other sea life. 
The tank is 
many stories high, and you can amble around its clear, transparent walls via a spiral walkway, seeing many fish, eels (including Moray eels!), sleek barracuda, and sea turtles, all living under the typical truce that seems (to an outsider) to rule such places. Lots of sharks are there for all to enjoy- even hammerheads.
The penguins themselves are on an island of sorts, but we'll skip the allusions to French
literature and look at the habitat: landscaping provides plenty of rock perches, gathering places and swimming pools. Above are a few of the friends you might make there.
So, the next time you happen to be in downtown Boston, if your feet have survived walking the Freedom Trail, you can wander through the Aquarium and meet some of the friendliest shark, tuna, and other sea creatures this side of the looking-glass surface of the ocean.
January 25, 2008, St. Louis
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Comments: 33
One day soon I plan to see the one in Atlanta.
Take care.
The article was crisp, clear and to the point! Not one dull moment! Thank you!
Also, thanks for all of the support Flit, Vikki, Marilyn, Tina, Steve B, Nina, J Wright, Marianne, John S, and Charli! I appreciate the comments about the essay and your sharing your own thoughts about aquariums.
And: Patrick C, thanks for the kinds words about the photos! I guess I was annoyed with myself because most of the Jellyfish and fish shots were really unusable, but I'm glad you liked these.
Tina: is that the same aquarium in the re-done Harbor in Baltimore, or is it different? I've been to the Baltimore aquarium, which was great (my brother used to work at Johns Hopkins, so I visited him and was able to look around town).
John B.: Sounds like Georgia should be on my list! I almost took a job in Atlanta once... but I stayed in St. Louis for a different, new job.
Thanks for posting this to !!!~Pictures Galore~!!!
Amy: Thanks for your kind remarks!
But excellent~
There is a copyright symbol on the bottom of this page.
Thanks also to Nana to seven..., Karolyn Q. Kathy P., and Dan Cole!
As always, I'll be sure to post comments on your own work!
Does this mean that this piece from the Gather FAQ is a lie?:
"Do I still own the rights to the content I publish?
Yes. You own and are responsible for all of your original content on Gather. Anything you create on Gather is copyrighted by you as soon as you publish it, as long as the content is legally yours."
(oh, the irony!)
Nice report. I love aquariums ad have visited the one in Boston.
Janna, I'm glad you liked the report.
Regarding ownership, I did as Kathryn suggested. I had read the FAQ, but perhaps I should know better than to believe what I read! I imagine it doesn't hurt to be clear about my intentions (kinda like the old days and dating!).