It's The End of 2021: More California Trip Photos

 Hi everyone.

Happy last day of the year.  2021 was a pretty good year for me. How about for you?

Since yesterday I posted my last AJJ  for December, and it's still too early for a new January challenge, I thought today would be a good day to share a few more California photos from trip back in November. 

Today I'm taking you here.

The hubby looks good in his blue against the white wall.

It's a great aquarium, and they not only had some fascinating sea creatures, they also had some fun art displayed.

They had some really interesting giant tanks too. This one connected to the harbor outside and displayed the giant kelp forests which are found in this area.

And did you know moray eels could smile at you?

The aquarium is at the site and in the building  of an old sardine canning factory. That was a big industry in Monterey many years back, and so here's a school sardines. Watching schools of fish swim through the water is really fascinating. 

If you're interested in old Monterey, John Steinbeck wrote some novels about life there which you could check out. I've never read his book Cannery Row, but I have read several other of his books. He was an excellent writer.

These metal fish are really cool. I wish they sold them as I'd get a couple to hang at home.

The aquarium had this giant tank with some local fish including some tuna, more sardines and a Pacific sunfish.  They had a little "show" where a couple of divers went in to feed them, and that's when I took this photo. Unfortunately for my photo, the railing on the second level, where we were, ran across my photo.

And if you've watched jellyfish in a tank before, wouldn't a big tank of jellyfish would be great to have on a wall in your bedroom? Watching them float  and glide in the water is not only interesting but so relaxing. Watching them might mesmerize you into a deep sleep.

And I love this cool Asian print of squid.

Cephalopods like squid are so interesting to watch. The cuttlefish is a favorite of mine. I didn't see any at the aquarium though.

And aren't these ancient style vases cool?

And I don't know which was better, the otters in the aquarium's tank

or the otters frolicking in the bay.

They also had an exhibit of some sea "creatures" created out of ocean trash.

This last one is the giant Pacific trash gyre.

And finally for this post, a few more sea creatures. I'll start with another cephalopod.

And this tropical view that looks like a painting.

Here's a s shark in the giant kelp forest tank,

and more schooling fish in the big tank.

This Pacific puffin who came over to visit me while I looked in.

Sea pens-I can see where they got their name.

Also here's some  cool anemones,

Can you find the flatfish (flounders) in the next photo?

And lastly, I always wondered what sand dollars looked like under the sea. You sometimes find their empty shells on the beach, but I had never seen them in their watery environment.

I hope you're last day of the year is a good one. Happy rest of 2021.

And if I haven't already wished you  a Happy Neww Year already, I hope your 2022 is full of happiness, joy, good health and a little less covid worry than we have now. 

Thanks for visiting me during 2021 also. It is always much appreciated!

Hugs to you all!