Our last day in Baltimore: 

 the Aquarium!

Well, we wanted to go to the zoo, but no one could tell us how to get there with public transportation and scary things like "that station's bad news" were popping up, so we decided to go to the Aquarium instead!

So here's our "zoo" photo!  And I DID get to see a real life wild rat, running up a slope and into some bushes when were we on the train.

The Light Rail brought us into town again... it was a very good way to get a feel for the countryside.  We went through some wild areas and small towns, quite pretty.  

And once in town we knew exactly where to go since we walked by the Aquarium the day before.  

Of course, there were lots of fish...

Gorgeous fish!

Some were friendly looking, sharing their habitat.

Others... not so friendly!  There's just something about a shark's face...

This stunning skeleton is that of a whale, suspended from the ceiling over the stingray pool and by one of the escalators.  It was just huge and impressive.

But we were surprised by all the other exhibits there as well.  For instance, up one escalator...

...and you were in the Amazon!

There we met a sloth who was actually moving quite a bit!!  He blinked!  And scratched himself!  One of the interpreters (stationed in all the exhibits and just a wealth of knowledge) was very surprised and delighted!

And then you got a view of the ground in the Amazon and the life in the waters.

It was odd how the glass distorted the size and distance of things below the water line, as you can see in this picture below.

Many tanks were like a game of "Can you find..." as the animals were listed and pictured on the sides of the displays but difficult to spot, like these alligators!

These wee fellows were Mom's favorites!  There were lots of different ones, all so vibrant in color, and all extremely deadly.

But so cute!

And so beautifully displayed.  They looked like they could be happy.

Then, courtesy of another escalator, we were in Australia!  Unfortunately the bats were out at the vets for their check-up, what bad luck! 

The part of Australia they featured was a part of the coastline that's incredibly brutal:  rough, cliffy terrain, drought, downpours and vicious lightning storms.  Very few critters survive there...

Can you spot the bird?  The Tawny Frogmouth on the stump is nearly invisible!

I got me and Mom's bum in this shot of the turtle and fishes... While we were there, one of the interpreters caught a cockroach and threw it in the tank; one fish jumped and got it, a very happy fish!

We saved the Jellyfish exhibit for last, not knowing what to expect!  WOW!!

There were strange wee ones, bumping about...

And stunning, graceful ones, all a tangle in their underwater ballet... mesmerizing to watch...

And of course, some were quite deadly...

...in more ways then one, unfortunately.  As we pollute the waters, the plant life blooms and uses up all the oxygen... and the jellies prosper.  The fish and other "good" critters are eaten or leave as the low-oxygen water can't support them and this eventually creates "deadzones" where, in the end, nothing lives.

A cold reminder of what we're doing to the planet.

And imagine:  the only place we spotted recycle bins was at the Aquarium!  Americans are so backward!

We didn't get to see everything in the one day, but it was time to call it quits and head for our hotel, saying goodbye to Baltimore.  The next day we flew home, saying goodbye to our Faery experience and a great adventure!

Thank you for sharing this with us!!

Where to next year, Mom?