a peek inside the fishbowl

We were in Toronto this past weekend to support our youngest daughter at a cheer competition at Canada’s Wonderland. I haven’t written much about her foray into the world of competitive cheerleading because that’s her own story to share. I will say this: I was quite surprised when she first tried out for cheer. I admit I had a bias to overcome. All I really knew about cheer was from TV and movies where it’s often portrayed as the domain of vain mean girls. BUT after a year of hearing all about their practices and finally seeing it in person, my attitude has undergone an 180-degree change. Newsflash! Competitive cheer incorporates elements of gymnastics and dance. It’s high-pressure performance that is physically demanding. I was so impressed with what I saw (although I still find the hair bows a little odd, but that’s just me).

Afterwards, she went off with teammates and the three of us did the rounds. It was sweltering, so we took it easy, and spent the latter half of the day in Wonderland’s water park. It was opening weekend of the water park and I don’t think they were quite ready for the sweaty masses to attend.

The eldest and I rode The Beast, one of Wonderland’s original roller coasters. I am too old to ride those things anymore. I thought my head was going to disconnect from my neck, it was so jarring. The water rides were very good, although our enjoyment was diminished by a few kinks including some unexplained – not to mention sudden – closures of the water rides, including one that two members of our party waited over 30 minutes to ride.

My favourite ride was this one:

I boarded with trepidation in the company of my eldest. It started slow and it gained speed as it rose higher in the sky. The view was spectacular. Clearly, this is how it felt to be a bird.

This ride is called the WindSeeker. According to the Wonderland website, it ascends 301 feet (91.7M) and swings riders at a 45-degree angle at speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. (!)

The highlight of our trip (other than our youngest’s amazing performance of course) was an impromptu visit to the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. We’ve been meaning to check it out since they opened, but it’s been a challenge since we don’t get down to Toronto very often. We had to grab this opportunity, even though it meant driving into the downtown core on the day of a much-anticipated Blue Jays game.

Driving and parking was surprisingly easy, only a few minutes away from the aquarium. We were there in no time flat:

Upon entry, it looked VERY busy. Visitors can buy tickets at the counter, at kiosks, or ahead of time online (which is a few bucks cheaper if you opt for timed entry). We opted for the self-serve kiosks and the line went quickly.

My first view was this, looking down into one of the touch tanks:

Have I mentioned I don’t enjoy crowds? Well, I need not have worried too much because that was about the worst of it. (That, and the cafeteria. I wouldn’t eat there as it was PACKED.) The good thing about Ripley’s Aquarium is that it’s BIG, and the crowd spreads out. Within a very short time, we were deeply immersed (see what I did there?) in underwater life. We were not disappointed:

One of the most amazing things at Ripley’s is a moving sidewalk that passes through a clear underwater tunnel in a giant aquarium, which is full of all kinds of sea creatures:

There was much laughter, exclamations of surprise and cameras snapping. Very cool.

Surprisingly – or maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised – it was an opportunity for all of us to see and learn about creatures we have never even heard of before. (For example, the Sea Pen. WHO KNEW. Go look it up.) Also: cool and interesting versions of creatures we already know and love, like seahorses. This one gets bonus points for Extreme Camo:

Then there are these dudes:

Creatures of the deep are so fascinating. This is a cuttlefish. It is like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s real:

And the rays! Wow. We happened to be walking by this part of the exhibit just as feeding time was about to begin:

As it turned out, one member of our party was The Ray Whisperer, unbeknownst to us. She waved, they came to say hi:

And of course, there are the jellyfish. Honestly, they are magical. I could have stayed in this part all day:

It wasn’t all just eye candy though! There is a lot to learn here as well. One small example: they did a great job explaining a jellyfish’s metamorphosis. It was demonstrated with live specimens too.

Anyway, I can’t say enough about Ripley’s. In fact, I am already looking forward to another visit. Have you been? What was your favourite part?