SeaWorld

We’d promised the big girls a trip this summer, so as soon as Father’s Day lunch was finished on Sunday, we packed up the DVD players - plus some new movies from Target - and headed for San Diego. 

 A little stir crazy after 3.5 hours in freeway grid-lock

We were in line when SeaWorld opened today at 10 a.m. 

and made it until 8:30 p.m. before calling it quits.

We petted sharks,

and dolphins 

and manta rays (this one swam directly to Leia and hung around for multiple pats. The boy next to her said it was due to Leia’s nail polish, which made me laugh.)

We saw shows with pilot whales (they’re in the same family as dolphins - who knew??),

orcas -

including the famous Shamu pose -

and sea lions (Clyde and Seamore have a new show. I wasn’t crazy about it but the girls loved it.)

The girls sat in the splash zone for every show

and didn’t complain about being cold and wet.

We admired a flamboyance of flamingos, including one proud mama tending her egg;

a tunnel of sharks, 

and checked how the girls measured up to dolphins.

We did all that and still had time for face painting, 

henna tattoos,

glow fish

and rides,

games,

and more rides.

The girls would happily have stayed the full 12 hours 

but Pop and I need our rest - for tomorrow is Zoo Day!